Sojourn in Solitude
by Casa Circe
Summary: AU Post Crossroads of Destiny. Zuko and Katara manage to escape the Crystal Catacombs before Iroh and Aang arrive by mysteriously being transported to a strange,secluded island inhabited by an equally mysterious woman with a connection to Zuko.Pls review.
1. Chapter 1

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar. That is that.

AN: A plot that has been floating in my subconscious ever since I saw Crossroads of Destiny and it bubbled up to the surface of my brain again. I can't resist it now. Don't expect anything great. But reviews will always be welcome. Thanks. Read on.

CHAPTER ONE

"That's something we have in common."

Katara looked up from her weeping and wiped a tear from her eye. This was the last thing she expected to hear from Zuko, Prince of the Fire Nation, Aang's enemy, her enemy.

She turned around and gave a puzzled glance at his silent figure. He certainly _looked _different from the last time she saw him, in the abandoned town when all of them had attacked Azula. Come to think of it, she was surprised he even stood by their side in that fight. But when she tried to help him by offering to heal his uncle, he had refused angrily. The jerk had even blasted fire at them.

_Zuko would never change_, she thought now, _and I can't trust him_. But looking at him again, she began to have her doubts. It certainly had been quite a while since he had last chased them. Their last bitter encounter had been at the North Pole and now _that _chapter seemed ancient. So many things had happened to them already. With a glance at his Ba Sing Se garb, long hair, and his disinclination to attack her, she knew that he had gone through a lot as well. Although why he worked in a tea shop was beyond her imagination. But then again, destiny can be very creative.

She thought about what he had said. He had actually apologized. Katara could hardly believe that the words "I'm sorry" were in the Fire Prince's vocabulary. What had followed was even more shocking. How could he even think that _they_ had something in common? The preposterousness of the idea was almost funny.

But then doubt clawed at her again as she took in consideration his earnest tone and the calm expression on his face. She had never known him to be capable of such gentleness. For so long, her mental profile of him was that of an angry, ruthless, relentless, and violent foe. But now, things were beginning to change.

He had his back to her. She remembered what she had said to him earlier, all her bitter accusations and insults. Now, she felt a little guilty. After all, it wasn't in her nature to harbor such rage. She stood up, took a few steps forward, ready to apologize when a loud explosion occurred in the crystals where she had been standing only moments before.

Katara gasped and looked wide-eyed at the place where there were now sharp bits of crystals protruding from the ground. She could have been chopped into pieces if she had lingered there a little longer.

Zuko had also risen and was now looking at the area of the explosion with an expression of alarm. Unintentionally, they moved closer together, both afraid of another near-death experience. As they gazed at the broken crystals, the Waterbender and Firebender noticed greenish fumes emanate from the explosion site.

Before she could investigate, Zuko pushed her aside and stood in front of her blocking her from the fumes. He aimed a tiny fire blast at the air and instantly the gases turned blood red. He frowned.

"It's poisonous," he said, "we have to get out of here quickly."

"But how?" Katara asked. "I don't have any water to bend with and I'll bet if you try to blast your way out, there will only be more fumes."

"I know," Zuko said softly but his mind was busy trying to find a way out of the situation. If they stayed any longer, they would surely die. They couldn't wait for his Uncle or the Avatar to come rescue them. He had to act fast.

Katara cursed the circumstances. If only she had some water to bend. Now, she was just useless and she would have to rely on someone whom she had always considered an enemy to save their lives.

Zuko took a deep breath and felt his inner flames ignite.

"We have to stand close together so I can block the fumes," he instructed. She looked at him skeptically. Right. He was her enemy. Another explosion destroyed the crystals on her side.

With a begging look, he pleaded, "You have to trust me." Seeing her hesitation, he quickly added, "Please."

Katara nodded. She had no choice. She took a few steps closer to him as he released a huge whip of fire which enclosed them in the small space where the poisonous gases had not diffused to. Creating an enclosure of fire, blocking out all the poison, Zuko concentrated as he never had before. He had to make the flames intense enough to destroy the poisons but he also had to control the temperature so as not to hurt the girl beside him. Being a firebender, he was used to extreme heat but she was not.

Katara gazed around her in awe. She felt like she was encased in a grand, beautiful room of fire. She had seen Zuko firebend before but never to this extent. And she knew that the such a display of bending required a great amount of effort to sustain. And signs of strain were already appearing on the prince's face.

She pursed her lips. She hated being useless like this. If only they could escape. Zuko could only ward off the fumes for so long and they weren't sure that he would have gotten rid of all the poisonous gases in the vast crystal catacombs. What were they to do?

Zuko's strength was waning. He would not be able to sustain the barrier for very long. But he refused to stop. He would at least save the waterbender girl. His brows furrowed and he concentrated even more.

As he reached the furthest limit of his endurance, his mother's face came appeared in his mind. Her hauntingly beautiful eyes stared into his.

_Is my whole life beginning to flash before my eyes?, _he thought, _but I don't want to die yet._

The figure of Ursa smiled at him and nodded, in a beckoning manner. She seemed to be standing in front of some sort of door. She opened it and made a gesture as if telling him to enter.

Seeing nothing but a blinding radiance beyond the door, Zuko fainted.

-----

The waterbender was shaking him awake.

"Zuko, Zuko," she whispered insistently, "wake up. We escaped."

"Huh?" the prince rubbed his eyes and tried to register their whereabouts.

But before he could do so, he saw a long-robed figure approach him. That same haunting gaze.

The woman smiled.

"It's been a while, nephew."

_AN: Please leave a review. Thanks!_


	2. Chapter 2

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar. That is that.

AN: Thanks for the reviews, sara, sokkantylee, Mr. Average, Akriloth Warrior, pink princess16, AvatarAiris, Guardian of Balance, little blueness.

Btw, please leave a review for this chapter. I will update when there are at least 10 reviews. Reviews give me inspiration. Thank you.

CHAPTER TWO

"Where exactly are we?"

Katara really didn't mean for the question to come out so bluntly so she immediately apologized for her rudeness and blushed a bright scarlet. To cover her embarrassment, she brought the cup of tea offered to her closer to her lips and sipped some. The sweet aroma of the herbs and the soothing warmth calmed her.

After all, her circumstances were rather peculiar. And that was putting it lightly. She had barely escaped imprisonment and certain death by poisonous green fumes. And the manner of her escape was most unconventional. And now she found herself indebted to someone whom she had always believed to be her enemy. But now, she wasn't so sure.

Then, there was his aunt.

Katara looked up again at their regal hostess. The lady was tall and elegant, with the same long, dark hair, pale skin, and golden eyes which were the characteristics of Fire Nation citizens. Her face looked kind but she also wore an expression of profound melancholy. Katara recognized the relationship between the lady and the prince almost immediately. They both had a certain mysterious and silent gravity about them.

More than ever, though she would never ever admit this in front of Zuko, Katara felt the humility of her origins as she stood in the presence of such a majestic lady. Zuko had called her a peasant and she knew it was true but never had she felt almost ashamed of her descent until now. Like Toph had said when they first arrived at Ba Sing Se, Katara was not properly trained in the refinements and niceties of polished society. And though she may have pulled it off when they attended the ball for the Earth King's bear, she knew that her humble impersonation paled in comparison to the refinement of true royalty.

Zuko, despite his simple Earth Kingdom clothing, still had the bearing of the prince that he was. Although not as arrogant or fastidious as she had first known him, she knew he still had the pride and confidence of someone descended from generations of Fire Lords.

And as for his aunt, whom he had introduced to Katara as the Duchess Melisande, his very own mother's twin sister, she had the bearing of a grave but fierce queen. And Katara, waterbending master though she was, felt small and insignificant in their presence. But Melisande had been very kind and obliging.

When they had arrived, Katara dragging an unconscious Zuko, the Duchess had expressed surprise. Apparently, the blast of unearthly light which had enveloped them as Zuko's flames died was not a Melisande's doing. But she was glad to have company and she welcomed them warmly.

"There is no need for titles here, my dear nephew," Melisande had said amusedly after Zuko's formal introduction, "after all, I am no more than an exile of our glorious Nation." The last statement was said in a tone of light sarcasm.

"That makes two of us then, Aunt," Zuko replied simply, unconsciously touching his scar.

Melisande's eyes had widened slightly at this. She gave her nephew a long and deep gaze. Katara's curiosity had been aroused by this mysterious exchange. Why did his aunt not know about Zuko's scar or his banishment? But then again, when she thought about it, Katara didn't really know much about Zuko in the first place. She didn't know why he was banished or how he got that scar. She didn't know what he was doing in Ba Sing Se (aside from the usual suspicions of him tracking them down.) But he hadn't been chasing them for quite some time.

For so long, he was merely the angry and determined Fire Nation Prince who was hell-bent on capturing the Avatar, the world's last hope for peace. And although they had had encounters with him on several occasions, she now felt like she was facing a total stranger.

"I see," she replied gravely, "I suppose we will have a lot of catching up to do later. In the meantime, Zuko, why aren't you introducing your lovely young friend to me?"

Both Zuko and Katara were taken aback by this. They were both unsure of how to proceed. It wasn't everyday that one was expected to introduce one's enemy to one's family.

"Well, Aunt," Zuko began hesitantly, "she's the Avatar's friend really. And she's a waterbender. And ..uh.."

"My name is Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, my lady," Katara said in her most refined manner. Zuko sighed with relief. The lady smiled at Katara.

"Then, it is a great pleasure to meet you, Katara of the Water Tribe," replied Melisande. "Tell me, what exactly is the nature of your acquaintance with my nephew?"

Upon seeing Zuko and Katara's embarrassed and awkward expressions, the lady laughed and decided not to pursue the subject just yet. But a twinkle in her eyes made Zuko uneasy. He wouldn't be able to avoid the strange explanations later. He never could hide anything from Aunt Melisande. And her eyes being just like his mother's didn't help at all. That gaze could see straight through his thoughts.

"Forgive me, I'm being a very ungracious hostess," Melisande said cheerfully, "why don't you both sit down, and rest. Something tells me you just came from a long and arduous journey. And would you care for a cup of tea? I may not make it as expertly as Iroh but I think I do tolerably well."

Zuko had cringed visibly at the mention of tea and had politely refused. _Why, _he thought exasperatedly, _why is my family obsessed with tea?_

Katara, seeing his reaction, suddenly remembered seeing him working at the tea shop in Ba Sing Se. The sight of the formerly proud prince serving tea to the middle class was quite funny, she thought. If she hadn't been so wary of Zuko and Iroh's presence in the city, she and Momo might have even had tea there.

_All of that seems ages ago, right now_, Katara mused, sipping more of the aromatic tea. The waterbender's musings were interrupted by the former duchess' reply.

"We are on the Isle of Azufre," explained Melisande, "a secluded island inaccessible to any of the Four Nations because it is surrounded by a vast and endless ocean. This is my home, and my prison."


	3. Chapter 3

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar. That is that.

AN: Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter: AvatarAiris, Akriloth Warrior, Luiz4200, little blueness, Avatar2233, Mr. Average

Please continue reviewing! Reviews make faster updates possible! And by the way, I made a short spoilerish trailer for the succeeding chapters using the trailer for "The Other Boleyn Girl". It's centered on Melisande's past so if you're interested, please check it by typing "avatar the other boleyn girl trailer" on youtube. Thanks.

CHAPTER THREE

"I suppose I will have to be a little more elaborate about my current circumstances."

Melisande looked sympathetically at the shocked Katara. Zuko said nothing and contented himself by staring at the wall. They were both seated at the small table in what served as the duchess' dining room. Their hostess, however, was standing by a small window and was gazing pensively at a seemingly bleak horizon.

"You may well be surprised, Miss Katara," continued the former duchess, "to know the dark and sinister secrets of my past. But I feel that I can trust you and that you at least deserve to know why I am here and why I cannot leave."

"I would not wish to violate your privacy, my lady," Katara cried earnestly, "I am very grateful for your trust and I respect your secrecy."

Melisande smiled sadly. "I told you before that formalities have no meaning here, my dear," said she, "so I absolutely insist on your calling me 'aunt'."

Zuko flinched and for a moment looked away from the wall. His incredulous glance turned to his aunt who made no sign of retracting her statement. Katara was equally mystified and embarrassed. She understood that Melisande was treating her most affably and she could not possibly complain about that. But to call Zuko's aunt hers as well? That was incredible on so many levels. Would that mean that she was being inducted into the prince's family as well?

Katara was unable to speak. Instead she looked at her silent companion, trying to assess from his reaction what she was to do. It was not in her power, after all, to take these kinds of liberties with his aunt whether or not the lady had insisted.

Zuko felt the waterbender's questioning gaze but he did not return it. Instead, he nodded, almost imperceptibly, and continued staring at the wall.

"Thank you," Katara began and then hesitantly added, "Aunt."

"There we go," replied Melisande jovially, "that wasn't so hard now, was it? But I'm guessing from your expression that my impulsive request was a peculiar one and I would soon know the reason why. But it is unjust of me to demand explanations when I have not explained myself.

Suffice to say that the Fire Nation that I knew did not find my presence very, how do I say, profitable to the regime. I was quite a rebel in those days and to be honest, I still am. However, there is only so much subversion I can accomplish isolated from the world like this. For my actions I was banished and so I have been these eight years."

Katara felt a wave of sadness engulf her. She was beginning to realize that the deplorable results of the war were not limited to the other three nations. The Fire Nation had its share of victims too. With this she couldn't help but remember Zuko's statement about losing his mother.

"_That's something we have in common."_

What was wrong with these people? The young waterbender couldn't begin to imagine the horrors the Fire Lord and his forefathers were capable of. She listened intently to Melisande's continuing recount.

"I will not use the melodramatic cliché by saying that I was punished for a crime I didn't commit for my situation is nothing of the kind. I am by no means innocent. I have committed crimes enough to warrant this punishment although I never for a moment believed that I was doing anything wrong."

Melisande's eyes glowed with her inner fire and Katara instantly recognized the spark of determined hauteur that often marked Zuko's features. The latter, however, remained impassive and silent. But he listened attentively to his aunt's every word.

"You must understand, Katara," continued the regal lady, "that in the Fire Nation the concept of right and wrong is often confused with that of what is beneficial to the Fire Nation and what is detrimental. A distorted perspective, I know, but that is the way it is. We are all caught in this elaborate web of deceit and destruction.

We are a people divided by destiny. There are those who follow the rules. And those who defy them.

By now, you have probably figured out under which category I fall."

Her head so full of all she had heard, Katara found herself again unable to reply. There was just too much to consider, too much to take in, and it was all so overwhelming. She only managed to nod timidly at the duchess who gave her a small smile.

"As I said earlier, this island is impossible to be reached by boat or by any flying device known to man. The only way of getting here is through a secret and sacred ritual known only to the Fire Sages. And only they have the power of bringing anyone back.

As to how you two arrived here, I assure you, it was none of my doing. I did not foreshadow this. But I do my best to help you return. All I know is that the moment you got here, I felt a disturbance in the space-time continuum. My suspicion is that time has stopped wherever you came from and that the moment you left has been frozen."

"Well," Melisande said, trying to veer the conversation away from her dark and ambiguous past, "now, all of that's settled. I believe it is high time for you to get some proper rest. I have prepared the spare rooms for both of you. Ironically, I may be in solitary confinement but my lodgings are quite large. I suppose they used to have more exiles here in the previous generation. Don't worry though, I doubt that any malignant spirits have remained to haunt these walls. After being confined here for so long, I am pretty certain that the moment they died, their spirits took the first opportunity to leave this place and never return. So you may sleep without fear.

You still owe me your stories but I'll defer my interrogations for now. I can see clearly that you are both too tired."

"Yes, even you, nephew," she added when Zuko made a move to protest. "Don't worry, I believe there will be ample time for us to talk later."


	4. Chapter 4

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar. That is that.

AN: To know more about Melisande and Ursa's past, please check out the little trailer I did on youtube. Just type in "Avatar the Other Boleyn Girl Trailer." My Youtube username is CirceAlbatou.

Anyway, thanks to Luiz4200, AvatarAiris, peanut26, Mr. Average, Kirai-Ninja, MilkMustache, Akriloth Warrior for your reviews.

CHAPTER FOUR

_It was an intolerably bleak place._

This was the thought that first crossed Zuko's mind as he stood on the balcony of his aunt's large but lonely home. It was a wooden structure, not unlike the vacation house his family had on Ember Island, but he was sure this abode did not keep any happy memories of its inhabitants. The place reeked of an unspoken melancholy as if it was specifically designed to make its dweller go mad from the solitude.

The room his aunt had shown him was spacious and comfortable, certainly a lot better than his tight little room in his and his uncle's apartment in Ba Sing Se. But there was something discomfiting in the darkness of this new room. Before his aunt had bid him good night, she gave him a look of mixed regret and welcome, as if she was ashamed that this was all she could offer to a beloved nephew. He had nodded to reassure her and she soon left him.

But he couldn't sleep. The eeriness of the island and the peculiarity of his situation were more than enough inducements to wakefulness. Would they ever get back to Ba Sing Se? Where was his uncle? Surely the old man would be worried sick by now. What would even the Dragon of the West make of such a strange situation?

Being unable to answer these questions, Zuko contented himself by staring vacantly at the vast ocean that surrounded the island and watching as the waves crashed on the shore. He may not have noticed but already the melancholy of his aunt was rubbing off on him.

"You can't sleep either, huh?"

The prince's musings were interrupted by the arrival of the waterbender. He glanced at her silhouette in the moonlight and nodded before turning back to face the waves.

"Listen," Katara began hesitantly. After all, it was difficult to start a conversation with someone you barely knew, who wouldn't even look at you as you spoke. "I'm sorry for yelling at you in the crystal catacombs. And I'd also like to thank you for saving me from the fumes."

"It doesn't matter," was his curt reply.

"But you risked your life for mine," she argued, "and brought us to safety. I don't care if it means nothing to you, it means a lot to me."

Zuko had blinked at her statement. He turned to look at her, his face as grave as ever.

"I didn't take us here," he explained.

Katara's eyes widened. She had assumed that by some mysterious firebender force, Zuko's wishes had led them to this place. Apparently, her imagination had run wild again. "But how did…?"

"I don't know," he cut her off abruptly, "I don't know. But, tell me, what exactly happened when I passed out?"

"Well," the waterbender began hesitantly, trying to recall what had transpired, "it happened all so quickly that it was hard to recognize what was going on. You suddenly murmured something and then passed out and the wall of fire you had built was beginning to falter and I had rushed to catch you as you fainted and then there was this strange, well, the only word I can think of to describe it was a vision, of a beautiful lady opening a door. Now that I've met your aunt, I'm pretty certain it was her. Although there was something about her that was different. I can't pinpoint what it was, a turn of her countenance, an expression, or something that I couldn't see in your aunt. Anyway, I was so entranced that I walked towards the door, dragging you, and then there was a flash of light. And then, we were here. I'm sorry that it doesn't seem to be a logical explanation but that's all I remember."

Zuko had been listening intently to the entire account, his brows knotting in concentration and thought as Katara described their bizarre escape from Ba Sing Se. So either he hadn't hallucinated or they both had.

Seeing his silent response and being uneasy during the silence, Katara continued to speak.

"So I was thinking, since your mother and aunt are twin sisters, perhaps the woman I saw in the vision was your mother. Maybe your mother's spirit saved us."

Zuko looked back at her earnestly and Katara blushed at his intense gaze. She could take his glares any time but this strange, un-Zuko look he was giving her was really making her nervous. Unable to return the gaze, she looked down at her feet.

"You're right," he replied calmly, much to the waterbender's relief. She was glad that the conversation was becoming less one-sided.

"For some reason," the prince explained, "even as a child, I was always able to tell them apart though many others couldn't. Mom and Aunt Melisande had the same face but they were vastly different.

Aunt Melisande and I have never been close. Like everyone else, she favored Azula over me. It was understandable, of course, since like Azula, Aunt Melisande was also a firebending prodigy. My mother and I were both regular firebenders while my aunt and sister were legends. So I guess, Aunt Melisande could always relate to Azula more." _And there were moments, _he thought to himself, _when his aunt seemed to give him a strange look of mixed regret, envy, and hatred. He had never figured out why._

Zuko paused, surprised at his talkativeness. Why was he spilling his life story (or part of it, at least) to some waterbender who hated him and couldn't care less about his life? Maybe it was because he knew she wouldn't care so telling her wouldn't matter. Would it?

Katara was equally shocked to hear Zuko give such an intimate account of his family life. With his aunt's account and his own story, she was beginning to see the Fire Nation as a darker place, ironically. There were so many internal conflicts. Maybe this was why all the firebenders she had encountered seemed so emotionally unbalanced.

The waterbender was also becoming more curious about the Duchess. If what Zuko said was true and Melisande really favored Azula, then she was someone to be wary of. But there was something in her manner which made Katara feel at ease with her. She wasn't the most cheerful of people and nor was she one of the least mysterious. But with the melancholy exile, Katara felt strangely safe.

"So I guess you're right," Zuko said suddenly.

"Huh?" Katara said, her musings interrupted.

"I mean, what you said about my mother. I saw her too, right before I passed out."

"Oh. So maybe her spirit is protecting you." As true as this seemed, Katara also felt a little unnerved by the idea of a ghost being their savior.

Zuko seemed to ponder on this greatly, his pensive face overcast by a shadow, when someone spoke.

"The person who brought you here was no ghost."


	5. Chapter 5

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar. That is that. I took the very last line from "The Other Boleyn Girl" trailer.

AN: A little longer than usual. There's a mini-flashback at the end.

Thanks for your reviews AvatarAiris, Akriloth Warrior, Kirai-Ninja, pinkprincess16, Mr. Average, superkawaiifoxy, AlinaAlone#1, babu'sbff, Avatar2233.

CHAPTER FIVE

"I thought that you two might be awake. The first night in this place is always the most restless."

The regal figure of Melisande emerged from the shadowy doorway to the balcony. Zuko and Katara looked at her quizzically.

"Your mother isn't dead, Zuko," the former duchess stated matter-of-factly, "and your coming here is her doing."

Zuko's eyes widened at the revelation and he was unable to say a word for a few moments. Katara looked at him with concern although she was similarly surprised. His aunt seemed serene as always, as if she was waiting for them to recover from the shock.

"Well, it seems like another explanation is in order," sighed Melisande, "I would have preferred to give it at a less ungodly hour, and maybe with a cup of tea or something like that, but the circumstances have deemed it necessary for me to do so now. But we can all at least sit down inside. The wind is quite vicious tonight."

Her nephew gave a curt nod and followed, while Katara gave one last glance at the menacing night sky before re-entering the house. Melisande had lit a small candle and placed it on the dinner table where they all gathered around its flickering light. Despite his silence, Zuko's expression seemed to ask so many questions. His aunt looked at him kindly before proceeding with her explanation. Zuko and Katara listened intently, the former because of entitlement to the truth, and the latter because not only of curiosity but also because of a feeling that she was somehow trusted enough by the two firebenders. When Katara had made a motion to leave the nephew and aunt alone together, Melisande had told her that she could hear the story as well.

"Six years ago," began the older woman, "my sister Ursa had found a way of contacting me. I doubt that I will ever be able to make both of you fully understand what it was like because this connection seems to be one unique to twin sisters. Do you have a sister, Katara?"

Taken a little aback by the sudden question, Katara replied with a small smile, "No, I don't. I only have a very silly but lovable older brother."

And all of a sudden, Katara felt sad. She missed Sokka. Silly, sarcastic Sokka. The lone warrior of the tribe. Her most beloved brother. Her family. Where was he now? Where was everyone she cared about? They must be worried sick about her by now. She herself didn't know where she was or if there was any hope of leaving this miserable place any time soon. She could only hope that her brother and friends did not come to any harm in their search for her.

Zuko, on the other hand, merely looked grave and was silent. Melisande glanced at him and said with a knowing look, "I understand that you do not share such a precious sensation of oneness. From what I gather, you and my niece Azula have not had the most harmonious of sibling relationships."

Both Zuko and Katara looked back at her curiously. Both thought the same thing: if Melisande had been exiled to this isle for eight years, how did she know of the development of either of her sister's children? And of the animosity that existed between them?

The serene lady smiled.

"Don't look so surprised," she said, "even Ursa and I went through rough patches."

"I'm afraid, Aunt," Zuko said, almost in jest, "what is between Azula and me is more than just a rough patch."

"I know. And do not think that just because I have lived away from the Four Nations for the past eight years, I am ignorant of what has been going on. I have acquired ways of discovery that would baffle even the wisest of Fire Sages. However, that is another discussion. Where were we? Ah. As I was saying, my sister had somehow communicated to me. For the sake of simplicity, I will say that I merely heard her voice in my head, talking to me and narrating her ordeal.

Your father Ozai had wanted to take the throne from your Uncle Iroh, who was the first born and therefore the true heir. I had guessed this much before I left but unfortunately, no one was able to prevent it. What is ironic is that your mother was actually a party to making it happen.

When your cousin Lu Ten perished during the unsuccessful siege of Ba Sing Se, your Uncle Iroh returned home distraught and dejected. It was during this time of mourning that your father presented himself to then Fire Lord Azulon as a more suitable succeeding Fire Lord because he had a son and heir while his brother had lost one and it was unlikely that Iroh would sire another son. Naturally, the Fire Lord was outraged at his younger son's suggestion and gave one equally monstrous."

At this, Melisande's tone became extremely serious and her eyes seemed to be ablaze with the glow firebenders usually acquired when they were intensely and passionately angry about something. Her face was calm but her eyes were furious. Zuko knew this, for he had often worn the same expression. Katara recognized it as well, having often seen it in Zuko and any other firebenders she and her friends had encountered in their travels. She gave a sideways glance at Zuko who seemed as calm as his aunt, as if he already knew what she was about to reveal. As for the waterbender, she was exceedingly curious to hear what other monstrous deeds firebenders could be capable of. After all, they banished their own family, enslaved their people, and wrought havoc on the entire world, how much worse could they do?

"As punishment for his insolence, Prince Ozai was to sacrifice his only son, _you, _so that he too would feel the pain his brother Iroh was suffering."

Katara could not help but gasp in horror. Her hand covered her mouth and her eyes widened. What seemed more shocking to her was the relative composure with which the two firebenders were taking such a revelation. Zuko was merely looking at the floor and his aunt was gazing at him with compassion.

Katara was outraged. How could any father ask this of his son? It was horrible. So upset was she that, of course, she nearly threw a fit at the next statement of the exiled aunt.

"And Ozai was ready to do it."

About to burst with passionately angry comments on the iniquity of such a deed when Melisande went to her side and tried to console the raging waterbender. Katara was close to tears now, her fists were clenched, and she was just holding back an urge to scream. She felt that if she could breathe fire like Zuko, she would show them what a dragon could be like. But as it was, she could not, so she had to content herself with clenching her fists and giving a grateful look at Melisande.

"I'm sorry," she muttered apologetically at the older woman, "I'm just a little shocked."

"I understand perfectly, my dear," consoled Melisande, "who would not be? The only reason Zuko and I are not hysterical is because we have both grown up in such an irrationally harsh environment. But don't fret, the story, as you may know, has a relatively happy ending. After all, Zuko is here with us, alive and well, is he not?"

Katara nodded and turned to Zuko, her eyes filled with pity and sympathy. But he had his back to her and merely continued staring at the ground silently. The young waterbender could not imagine the torment he must be going through, to learn that his own father was willing to kill him? If only their circumstances hadn't been so awkward (two former foes sitting together at the table of a Fire Nation exile on a secluded island), she might have reached out and touched his hand or something. She might have tried a little harder to console him. However, Katara thought that she was in no position to presume such intimacy with someone she hardly knew and whom she had fought previously. Life was just complicated that way.

Melisande walked away from Katara and continued her story.

"Your mother, of course, would not allow this. So she proposed a plan that would save your life and install Ozai on the throne. I am not certain of the particulars as my sister was very vague on the subject but what I know is that she was instrumental in a plot to murder Fire Lord Azulon and make it look like his dying wish was to have Ozai succeed him as Fire Lord. This was, of course, an act of high treason, and for her involvement in it, she was banished."

Never had the word "banished" seemed like such a comfort to Zuko. This time, he could not stop the emotions that were fighting to be expressed and tears flowed freely down his face. His mother was alive. She had been alive all these years.

Seeing Zuko's tears was another shock to the already worked-up Katara. It seemed to her that wonders would never cease on this strange isle. She felt happy for him, happy that his mother was still alive after all. But deep down, she felt the smallest tinge of envy that he would still be able to see his mother while hers was gone forever. But she refused to be weighed down by such a negative feeling. It was good, no, great news that his mother was alive. After all, she had saved them both.

Again, the waterbender felt an urge to reach out to the young firebender, to express her happiness for him and to share in his rejoicing. And once again, she felt awkward and out of place. Despite what they had just gone through it was still unclear as to where they stood in terms of relationship. She had considered friendship but she was uncertain about whether he reciprocated such a feeling. And so as much as she wanted to empathize with him, all Katara could manage was to give a warm smile to Zuko. The latter nodded gratefully.

Melisande had approached her stunned nephew and given him a warm embrace. The duchess' eyes were also brimming with tears.

"It is true, dearest Zuko," she whispered with feeling, "she is alive and well and she has brought you here. She has saved you and given me an opportunity to fulfill a promise I made to her years ago."

"A promise?" Zuko asked.

"Yes," replied his aunt, "both she and I had known that Ozai was capable of many terrible things. We, of course, did not know the particulars but we guessed that he was a man who would get what he wanted no matter who or what he would have to sacrifice along the way. So right before I was banished, I made a promise to your mother."

_Eight years ago, in the Fire Nation…_

_Two hooded figures strode quickly down a deserted torch-lit corridor. Stopping at a dark corner and looking to make sure no one was around, one of the figures whispered sharply._

"_Why did you do this? How could you do this, after all I've done to you?"_

"_You are my sister. How can I ever abandon you?"_

"_But Ursa, you know that Ozai doesn't do anything without expecting something in return."_

"_I know that very well."_

"_Then why? The Fire Lord has spared my life but has banished me to the Isle."_

"_I will help you escape, I.."_

"_You will do nothing of the sort. I have no choice but to accept this fate. All means of escape have been blocked. There is no alternative."_

"_But.."_

"_Hush," said Melisande, with a smile, "you know me well enough. I never do anything without a backup plan. But I'm more worried for you, sister. When the time comes, you will have to pay dearly for what you have done for me. They have entrapped us both. I know Ozai. We were trained by the same firebending master.."_

"_Do not forget that I am his wife. I too know what he is capable of."_

"_Then it is only a matter of time…"_

"_Hush, I know that, Melisande."_

"_Dear Ursa, I owe you more than my life. Your forgiveness is more precious than anything I have ever yearned for."_

"_And I have given it freely. Forget that bitter time, sister. Nothing shall ever come between us again."_

"_Nothing. But something is troubling you, sister. Tell me."_

"_I fear for my son, for Zuko. Azula, I know, is safe from any of my husband's vile schemes as she seems to have inherited many of the traits he finds admirable. I don't know how much I will be able to influence her but I am certain that she is in no danger because she is in her father's favor. But Zuko is so gentle, so unlike his father, I fear that some harm will come to him that even I might not be able to prevent."_

"_Then I swear to you tonight that I will do everything in my power to protect your son if his life is ever threatened. When the opportunity presents itself, be sure that I will do my utmost to keep him safe."_

"_I confess that that was exactly what I wanted to hear. Thank you, sister."_

"_Of course, Ursa. You are my sister, and therefore one half of me."_


	6. Chapter 6

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar. That is that.

AN: Here is the next chapter. Took a while for me to complete and it's a little wordy but a lot had to be accomplished so forgive the length. A big thank you to those who reviewed chapter five : Avatar2233, Akriloth Warrior, AlinaAlone#1, Mr. Average, superkawaiifoxy,Luiz4200

CHAPTER SIX

"So, where is she?"

In the midst of the joyous discovery, one thing had been left unresolved. And since the two firebenders were too emotional to address the issue, it had fallen to Katara to voice out the question which had been in Zuko's mind from the very first moment he heard that his mother was alive.

Moved as she was by the scene, Katara couldn't restrain her curiosity any longer. Nephew and aunt broke away from their embrace and wiped their tears. Katara blushed. She hadn't meant to interrupt such a stirring event so she muttered a quick apology. It seems that ever since she arrived on this island she was constantly apologizing. It would take some getting used to.

Zuko, still overwhelmed with emotion, said nothing but his eyes seemed to be asking the same question. Melisande returned his gaze and nodded.

"Unfortunately," she explained, "I have not the faintest idea. Although she has been able to communicate to me, our contact has been very limited and my sister has been very secretive. I only know what she has revealed to me and this is the part that involves harboring both of you here until a certain event takes place."

"Both of us?" both of them said simultaneously and incredulously.

"Yes, indeed," replied Melisande with an enigmatic smile. Zuko frowned slightly at her and Katara merely looked taken aback. So the duchess had known about her for some time. It didn't bother her as much as Zuko but she was beginning to be wary of the strange exile's intentions.

The duchess continued, "I must confess that I haven't been completely honest with you. I have known of your arrival for some time now, my sister had informed me of it. I was just unaware of how it would come about but you may realize that you have been expected. And she had mentioned you as well, Miss Katara. For some reason, my sister has divined that you play a large role in all of this, and not just because you are the Avatar's close companion. I don't understand it myself, and my sister has refused to be more elaborate. All I know now is that you both are under my care until we have weathered an imminent squall."

"What are you talking about, Aunt? Please speak plainly," remarked Zuko, intrigued by his mother and aunt's strange correspondence.

"Apparently, your coming here has caused some sort disruption in the fabric of destiny."

"Have you been talking to Uncle Iroh recently?" Zuko asked warily. His aunt shot him a curious look which forced him to explain. "He's been lecturing me a lot about destiny lately. Maybe this might have something to do with all he has been telling me."

"Well, I don't know exactly what your uncle has been telling you, Zuko," replied Melisande with a flourish, "but I'm certain it is relevant. After all, destiny concerns us all. And according to Ursa, your arrival here has prevented a pivotal betrayal and has cleared the way for the acquisition of cosmic liberation."

"Do you mind speaking on more comprehensible terms," Zuko interrupted, a little exasperated. All this enigmatic and baffling talk was beginning to annoy him. He didn't appreciate not being able to understand his own circumstances.

"It is a little hard to understand," Katara added, agreeing with Zuko, "but a betrayal? Of what kind, do you think?"

"Most likely one that would cause a staggering defeat to the Avatar and an uncompromised victory to the Fire Nation," replied Zuko, "or why else would my mother want it prevented? She is against the Fire Nation now, I understand."

"You're absolutely right, nephew. And I know it's difficult to grasp my words," laughed Melisande, "but those are my sister's words so if there is anyone to blame for your bafflement, it will have to be your mother, Zuko.

But all complications aside, my sister Ursa has sent you here for some reason, by some means even I cannot divine. All I've known is that only the most senior of Fire Sages know how to send people here or to recall them back. And you cannot doubt that I've tried every known means of escape these past eight years and each time I have failed. Added to that is that every other prisoner sent here has never returned on his or her own. But somehow my sister has found a way of doing so and she will undoubtedly let you return all in due time."

"In due time?!" Katara exclaimed with agitation, "but what about the war and making sure the Fire Nation doesn't take over the entire Earth Kingdom? What about all the plans we have made so that the Avatar may finally restore balance to the world? Are we going to be stuck here, useless, and let everything unfold without us?"

"She's right," added Zuko seriously, to Katara's surprise, "I can't stay here doing nothing when I know that the fate of the entire world is being decided for us beyond this isle. I want to be a part of that, no matter what it takes. And I refuse to languish here in isolation while fate runs its course."

"And did you not think that I have felt the same way all these years?," said Melisande firmly, silencing the two younger benders. Her eyes were understanding but stern. Suddenly, she rose to her full height and faced them with glowing embers for eyes, looking every bit like a fierce and powerful queen who was never to be questioned. For those few moments, Melisande had ceased to be the somber solitary exile of the Fire Nation. She had become what she had always been, a royal duchess of the highest order.

Weaker beings would have cowered in fear at the sight of such a figure but Zuko and Katara were able to gaze back at her albeit shakily. Zuko remembered the rumors he had heard about his aunt while he was still living in the Fire Nation. The whisperings about the treacherous crimes she committed and her unparalleled firebending skill. Some said that she was an evil sorceress of one kind who dabbled in the forbidden arts. Others said she was a monstrous demon who had assumed Ursa's form in order to plague all those around her. And for one frightening moment all of this gossip seemed to be true.

Katara had always known that there was something to be feared in Melisande. After all, a woman brave enough to defy the Fire Nation would have to be one of unspeakable strength. But she had never really imagined Melisande capable of any evil even though the duchess stood menacingly before them. All the waterbender understood was that it would be foolhardy indeed to challenge this firebender.

But despite all he had heard, Zuko knew that his aunt was no supernatural being or monster. She was merely a determined and wily rebel who would staunchly stand for whatever she believed was right. Being headstrong and determined seemed to be a family tradition. But despite her intimidating features, she was human too.

For as fast as it had happened, Melisande's outburst was soon quelled. Her eyes lost their ferocity and she soon wore an expression of sadness and remorse.

"I'm sorry," she said earnestly, "I know exactly how you must feel about being stuck here indefinitely. I know how much you must miss your friends and family."

Katara and Zuko likewise felt remorse for their outburst, the former being the first to recover. The young waterbender approached the older woman and apologized.

"I believe that it is I who must apologize, my lady," Katara said gently, unable to address so regal a woman without reverence, "you have shown us great kindness and we have repaid you with doubt and ungratefulness. I am so sorry."

Melisande awoke from her stupor and gazed almost incredulously at Katara. Then, the duchess smiled gratefully and returned Katara's smile and even went so far as pulling the girl in an embrace which the waterbender returned. Katara had always been good at comforting people.

"You may think that I am doing you a kindness by sheltering you," Melisande whispered, "but it is you who are being kind to me. You have no idea of the crimes I have committed but you openly accept me. That is very precious."

Katara was moved by the duchess' gratitude. They were both so engrossed that they didn't notice Zuko approach and lay a hand on his aunt's shoulder, as if expressing in that simple gesture all the regret and remorse he could never put into words.

Melisande gave him an understanding look and they both nodded in the gravity of shared exiles. As Katara observed these two firebenders, she realized that there truly was a strong connection that was unique to those with blood ties. And that was why she could easily believe that Melisande and Ursa had found some means of communicating. Time and distance could be transcended by the bonds of blood.

Katara once again realized how lucky she was to have had such close ties with her own family. Even after her mother's death, she, Sokka, and their father had remained as close as ever, if not even closer. They had still been happiest in each other's company, cherishing every moment spent together. And when Hakoda left for the war, Katara and Sokka strengthened their already formidable bond because that aside from Gran-gran and the rest of the tribe, they were all they had left in the world. And they had always felt the love of a family within the tribe. Being the eldest children in the village, they had served as surrogate parents to all the little children. Katara fondly remembered Sokka building his little "invincible" army of water tribe warriors who were supposed to be constantly on alert for any attack from the Fire Nation.

Then, there was finding Aang at the iceberg and the epic journey that followed. And in more ways than one, Zuko was still part of that journey, Katara thought, although she would never have considered him as more than one of their ruthless pursuers until now.

But she realized the disparity between their circumstances. All throughout their travels together, Katara had never felt alone or unloved. They had been a family wherever they went, Aang with his infectious mirth and optimism, Sokka with his wit and sarcasm, Momo, Appa, and later on, Toph with her in-your-face approach to life which had irked Katara at first but now she found it quite endearing. And all the friends they had made throughout their journey had always made them feel more than welcome.

She then looked at the brooding prince who stood before her and realized that life had not been as kind to him. The waterbender had been learning a lot about the Fire Nation and she noticed that the entire culture seemed steeped in hatred and anger. Even the element had negative connotations. Fire always seemed to symbolize destruction and pain, inflicted even upon the bearers as his scar seemed to testify. Although Katara did not know the entire story behind it, she was certain that it was quite tragic. His childhood (if one could call it that) seemed traumatic enough and the members of his family (his mother, aunt, and Uncle excluded) were so vastly different from hers. Hakoda would never even dream of sacrificing either herself or Sokka for personal gain. Katara also found it impossible to imagine that she and Sokka would have the same animosity between them as Azula and Zuko. They had their share of petty squabbles but this was perfectly normal between siblings. For all his faults, Katara loved Sokka fiercely and could not imagine her life without him as undoubtedly he felt about her as well.

Even Aang, whom she had first regarded as merely a powerful bender who was destined to save the world, she had come to love as part of her family. And she knew that he shared the same love for them.

She missed them all so desperately. And if there was anything that would make her endure this indefinite stay on the island, it would be to at least let them know that she was safe and that there was no need to worry.

It was as if Zuko had read her mind.

"Would it be possible, Aunt," he began, "to at least let Uncle and the others know that we're safe here? An agitated Uncle Iroh isn't a very welcoming sight and I'd prefer to have him at ease again, sipping his tea nonchalantly."

"My friends must be worried about me as well," Katara added, "is there any way to get word to them that we're all right?"

The tall lady wiped her tears and laughed heartily before replying. 

"I'm glad that you both mentioned it," she said with a bright smile that seemed to erase the gloom of a few moments past, "because that was just what I was going to explain to you before you interrupted me with your little rants."

The other two looked away awkwardly but they knew that Melisande had already forgiven them.

"You will have only one opportunity to send a message to your friends before you will have to return to them," she explained, "although I am almost certain that my sister has found a way of informing at least Iroh of your predicament. But I know that you both are anxious to tell them yourselves and so you must wait for the fateful moment. As I mentioned earlier, we will have to endure a storm unlike any other this island has ever experienced before you can be sent back to your friends. It will be when we are in the eye of the storm that you will contact your friends. I have already arranged for it. I'm sorry to say that it cannot be sooner than that."

Katara smiled and sighed with relief. At least, she would be able to see Aang, Sokka, and Toph again and they would know she was safe and vice-versa. If Zuko's mother had indeed already informed them, all the better.

Zuko had nodded silently. But he was glad that Uncle would not be worrying too much about him. And although the impatient prince hated waiting, he found that he had no choice but to see this whole stay through. After all, he had been through one banishment, what was another?

Seeing that her two charges were temporarily satisfied with her explanations, Melisande gave a loud yawn, signaling to them to go to bed.

"Now, before you plague me with questions about the particulars of the storm," she concluded, "I would suggest that you defer your questioning until we have retired for whatever is left of this interminable night. Now, to bed with you!"

"You sound just like Mom," Zuko objected but in a cheerful tone. Katara laughed at this.

"Well, I believe that it's high time both of you had to endure some female adult supervision. Good night."


	7. Chapter 7

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar. That is that.

AN: My Valentine's Day Special. Not exactly a romantic chapter but one that builds the tension, you know? A little more lighthearted than usual. I promise that the next chapter will feature the rest of the Gaang.

CHAPTER SEVEN

"The tempest approaches…"

Zuko sniffed the air and his expression grew graver than usual. His suspicions had been confirmed. As he stood alone on the beach on one side of the island, he looked almost as gloomy as the darkening storm clouds. The sun had not yet set but the sky was already being covered by the shroud of night.

"Not bad for a firebender," Katara teased, "usually only Water Tribe members are able to predict the weather with such accuracy." The overcast sky had attracted Katara from her regular training ground. She usually practiced her waterbending on the other side of the island so she could avoid having to talk to him. Even after having lived on the isle for a week, the waterbender still found it difficult to be on more than civil terms with the brooding prince. Likewise, he never spoke to her unless it was necessary and he did so as concisely as possible, despite all his aunt's efforts to make the atmosphere as light and cheerful as possible. It was challenging as Melisande wasn't a bright and bubbly person to begin with but she tried her best. Unfortunately, eight years banished alone on the island had done very little to improve her people skills.

"After spending three years at sea, you pick up on certain things," he replied almost nostalgically, "and besides, Uncle could smell a storm from miles away. The only times he had been wrong were when the scent of tea plantations nearby had interfered with his acute sense of smell."

Katara laughed cheerfully, remembering the jovial figure of Iroh. She had only seen him in a few encounters, not all of them pleasant she thought recalling the incident at the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole. But her overall impression of the former Fire Nation general was quite positive. He seemed like a kindly old man who cared deeply for his nephew and loved tea. He also seemed to have a sense of humor that could rival Sokka's. But despite his seemingly harmless appearance, he was still a force to be reckoned with. And Zuko apparently thought very highly of him.

"I didn't know that you made jokes, your Highness," she teased again, with a twinkle in her eye.

"What? Just because I'm a firebender I don't have a sense of humor," Zuko replied defensively, "you have obviously never heard any of Uncle Iroh's puns." He shuddered at the memories.

"Easy, easy, calm down," Katara said with her eyebrow raised in amusement. It was always a joy to work him up like this although she didn't want to do it too often. As much as she wanted to practice some advanced water bending with a duel against him, she felt it unwise to provoke him too much.

Zuko had turned away from her again with a loud "humph!" and was now gazing at the sky again. Katara looked at him curiously. How someone could consistently sustain an air of melancholy was beyond her. She herself could never be depressed for more than a week. Sokka would brood but not this deeply. Aang had his moments of self-doubt but they were easily dispelled by the memory of happy times. Toph could never be downcast for more than a few hours. And yet, here was this solitary individual who was constantly moping. Even considering his dark and tragic past, she reasoned, he shouldn't have to be gloomy all the time. But then again, Katara had never known darkness such as he had.

But a voice inside the waterbender urged her to try and change him for the better. Katara always had this instinct to help people like the time she had given hope back to Haru and his fellow earthbenders. After that incident, she had felt an immense and indescribable joy that she was determined to come to the aid of anyone in need, whether or not they asked for her services. During their travels all around the Earth Kingdom and Poles, she had developed a certain altruistic philosophy which was summed up in her favorite statement: I will never ever turn my back on people who need me.

So although he didn't know it, Katara knew that Zuko needed her….help. And Katara was determined to give it.

"You know what you're problem is?" she began.

Zuko turned slightly around, so that the scarred part of his face was all she saw.

"And I suppose you do?" he answered coldly.

Ignoring his reply, she continued.

"You take everything much too seriously. You should learn to lighten up a bit. All this dark negativity is giving you a very stunted perception of the world."

"Look who's talking."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Katara was taken aback by the unexpected response. But at least she was able to elicit a response (and this was clearly a sign of progress) so she eagerly awaited his explanation.

He turned around to face her, his expression still grim and his eyes slightly smoldering. Zuko never enjoyed being judged, and especially not by this naïve little waterbender who had the presumption to believe she knew him.

"You're the one with a myopic perspective," he argued, "from the little you've seen of the world, you've concluded that people can be classified into good and bad, more specifically those on the side of your precious Avatar and those against him. I'm sorry to disillusion you but life really isn't that simple."

It was all she could do to restrain herself from shooting a water whip at him because she knew that was exactly what he wanted to happen and she was determined to disappoint him. Nevertheless, Katara was enraged at his concise judgment of her. And although she would never admit it, some part of Zuko's description of her was quite accurate and this was all the more maddening. She pursed her lips and clenched her fists. She glared at him with the ferocity to equal his while his expression remained challenging.

"Well," she retorted, pointing a finger accusingly at him, "who do you think you are, anyway, that you can pronounce judgments on me? How dare you? You have no right. You hardly know me."

"And neither do you know me. If you think that I judged _you _harshly, then I was just returning the favor."

Katara's eyes blazed and her frown deepened. She could feel her bending energy creep from within her veins. Her hands were shaking, aching for combat. She hadn't been this incensed since she made ice crack in the North Pole when Chief Arnook had forbidden her from learning waterbending because of her gender. She got into a fighting stance.

Zuko mirrored her action eagerly, his fists already heating up and his face a mask of concentration. She, on the other hand, had concocted a large water whip from the sea and it was hovering precariously around her.

The menacing storm clouds gathered above them, the darkness seemingly reflecting their moods. As each bender launched an attack on the other, the sky became darker and darker. The water whip sizzled against that of fire and steam was rising up from the battleground. Back and forth the two elements were thrown, their wielders filled with passion. Each of the benders exhibited complicated footwork and experimented with new combinations of old techniques.

Loud thunder seemed to shake the foundations of the island and it shook the two benders out of their concentration. They both landed on the sandy beach, panting from the exertion and pausing for breath. Zuko was just about to aim a fireball at Katara when he seemed to think better of it and he stopped. To her utter shock, Zuko withdrew his attack and faced her calmly. She smirked at him triumphantly like she did some time ago in the North Pole, thinking that he had given up. It seemed like she pulled another one over the conceited firebender, she thought. How could he go against her anyway, when they were by the seashore and she had access to a tremendous amount of her element?

"Admitting defeat, Prince Zuko?" she taunted.

"Admitting the futility of this fight," he answered, to her astonishment.

He gave her a serious glance as she dropped her water whips.

"What are you saying?" she asked, wary of his true intentions, her eyebrows arched.

"I mean that there's no point in fighting after every disagreement," he explained, "as you may well know, we shall be living on this island indefinitely. I think it serves no purpose if one of us is incapacitated when it is time to return to our companions."

Although surprised that such diplomatic words were being uttered by someone she considered the most un-diplomatic person in her acquaintance, Katara heartily agreed with him. And despite her enjoyment of their minor duel because it gave her an opportunity to try out some waterbending techniques she had been developing, she knew that she must try even harder to get along with the brooding prince whose company she had no choice but to bear.

But once again, Zuko had proven to be full of surprises. Several days ago, she would never have expected him (of all people) to voluntarily end a fight on the grounds of peace. Well, maybe this was one side of Zuko he didn't show very often. But Katara admitted that she was impressed. And intrigued.

Katara thought that the young firebender was quite unlike his aunt. While Katara felt comfortable in Melisande's presence, she was always perturbed when Zuko was around. As for the latter, he always treated _her _with the same grave indifference he showed to everyone. Katara was baffled by his strange behavior. He only seemed to show genuine emotion when his aunt revealed that his mother was still alive but after that long night, he had retreated back to being brooding and mysterious.

When Katara had asked the former duchess about this, Melisande merely laughed and shrugged her shoulders.

"You may not believe me, Miss Katara," explained the regal firebender, "when I say that solemnity and enigma are hereditary in our family, but indeed it is. There was a time when I too wore such a mask of severe gravity and walked about with an air of menacing mystery."

Katara smiled at the apparent jest. "It's hard to imagine you that way now," the waterbender had said.

The lady returned Katara's smile graciously. "Indeed, it would be rather difficult for you to do so, having only seen me with such a cheerful countenance. But I assure you, I was a very different person before my banishment."

"But what made you change your perspective?" Katara inquired curiously.

"Well," the duchess said with a mischievous glint in her eyes, "I figured that I'd wrinkle easily if I frowned too much. And I can be as vain as a peacock."

They had both laughed at this.

"I only wish your nephew might try the same philosophy. I daresay it will do him some good."

"Unfortunately, my dear, it will take a little more than vanity to make Zuko become livelier. He is far too self-conscious about that scar of his. It's understandable, of course, considering how he got it."

Katara had stopped laughing then and almost ventured to ask about Zuko's scar when Melisande had raised her hand to conclude the conversation.

"I believe _that _story is for another time. Perhaps when my nephew is ready to talk about it again. Although there's no knowing how soon that will be. But we must be patient."

Katara had nodded with understanding.

And now, as she stood before the prince again on the beach of that secluded island, Katara remembered Melisande's advice. She would have to be patient with him if she wanted to know more about him. After all, he wasn't accustomed to opening up to strangers.

"You're absolutely right," the waterbender finally replied to the banished prince's offer of truce, "we should be conserving our energy for our eventual return to our friends. After all, when Aang confronts the Fire Lord, we're going to need all the power we can muster."

Zuko raised his eyebrows. She had said "we". Was she assuming that he would be joining the Avatar in overthrowing his father? It was something to ponder on.

"Do you honestly considering that I will be joining you and the Avatar in defeating my own father?" he asked, a bit louder than he had intended.

Katara blinked, taken aback by such a vehement response. Well, she was assuming but then again.

"Isn't this the whole reason your mother sent us here?" she argued, "she wants you to help Aang end the war and restore peace to the world."

Zuko paused, doubtful. He remembered his Uncle's words about questioning his destiny. Well, what was his destiny? Was he really to join forces with a sworn enemy? The exasperated prince clutched his hair and growled.

"But the Avatar is my last chance to restore my honor," he muttered.

Once again, Katara threw a fit.

"After all we've heard from your mother and your aunt, and after being sent here and learning about your father's cruelty, still all you can think about is your stupid honor? What is wrong with you?"

Zuko was enraged because he did not have a ready retort to that.

"I …. I have my destiny," he said.

"But don't you realize that your destiny is to atone for your nation's crimes?" Katara was infuriated at his inability to understand the path that lay before him.

"You have no idea what you're talking about," he muttered through clenched teeth.

"What? I…"

But before she could continue, he interrupted her with an angry yell.

"Why don't you just go play with your stupid water and leave me alone!!!"

_Patience, patience, _Katara chanted to restrain herself from lashing out at him again. But she was reaching the limit of her patience with this exasperatingly enigmatic prince. She clenched her fists and replied coldly, "Fine. Have it your way, _your Highness_." And then she stomped her way back to the house.

Watching her retreating figure, Zuko felt some remorse for yelling at her. He slapped his forehead. Later, he would have to apologize properly otherwise living with the minx will be intolerable. He gave an angry glare at the setting sun and darkening clouds before he too stomped his way back to the house.

---

Katara had muttered an arbitrary greeting to Melisande before proceeding to her room and closing the door quickly.

The duchess, who was preparing dinner, merely shrugged her shoulders.

A few moments later, Zuko entered and murmured something polite to his aunt.

"A storm is brewing, nephew," she commented casually.

Zuko nodded and then proceeded to his own room.

SLAM!

Melisande rolled her eyes.

"My mistake," she said to herself with a knowing smile, "the storm has already arrived after all."

--

Alone in his room, illuminated only by strands of moonlight which sifted through a narrow window, Zuko stared at his palms, his brow furrowed in puzzlement and frustration.

What the waterbender didn't need to know was that he didn't offer the truce on the grounds of diplomacy. No, he had stopped the fight because for some frighteningly ineffable reason, Zuko had lost his firebending.


	8. Chapter 8

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar. That is that.

AN: Now, we take a break from the island and go check out how the rest of the Gaang are dealing with the absence of our favorite couple. Originally, the story was to be only from the point of view of the island prisoners. However, popular demand has made it possible for me to add this little interlude with the gang. Let me know after this if you still want a Gaang chapter or if you want to return to the island. Enjoy.

CHAPTER EIGHT

"More tea?"

Iroh genially offered his favorite beverage to the Avatar and his friends as they sat together at the best table of the Jasmine Dragon. It was a lovely sunset, Iroh thought, stroking his beard pensively. So peaceful. An apt reflection of the current circumstances.

The old general glanced at his companions.

There was the young earthbender whom he had met previously and with whom he had first shared tea. She was sitting casually, hands crossed, with both feet on the table. Iroh noted that her feet were both thickly caked earth but she didn't seem to mind the filth. In fact, she seemed rather comfortable with it. Normally, Iroh would never stand for such "uncivilized" behavior in his tea house. Zuko had had to throw out many an uncouth customer those days. But the old man felt a strange affection the young earthbender so he let it pass. _It must be from constant contact with her element, _he shrugged, sipping some ginseng tea.

Then there was the young Water Tribe warrior who was now chatting excitedly about his plans for an invasion of the Fire Nation. The young man held a chart in one hand and a pen in the other hand as he was marking out the routes for escape, points of entry, and other things. Sokka, as Iroh learned his name was, explained the different strategies he wanted to implement on what he called "the day of black sun." He occasionally looked at Iroh for approval. The young man greatly respected the retired general and valued his opinion highly. And in some ways, Sokka seemed to remind Iroh of himself when he was younger. Except for the sarcasm.

The Avatar's huge sky-bison was currently outside the tea-house, calmly resting and contentedly chewing some hay. The magnificent creature seemed to be waiting for the moment that his friend would need him. But for the moment, he left all the planning to the people.

The lemur, however, was eager to be involved so he chirped loudly at every sentence the Water Tribe boy uttered and tried to assert his contributions to the group. The people merely laughed at his antics and continued their planning.

Then there was the Avatar himself.

Iroh gazed at the young boy gravely. It seemed that in such a short span of time, the airbender had grown a great deal. It was understandable that a change would come over him after all the ordeals he had endured, Iroh thought. He had even been involved in giving the boy some difficulties in his journey. But all that was over and done with. The airbender had welcomed him with trust and forgiveness. The Avatar understood well that there was no point in dwelling on the past.

But undoubtedly, he had changed. Now, he had an air of almost sagely wisdom about him which had not been there in their previous encounters. Iroh noted that the boy had learned so much in his travels and he was now synthesizing all these lessons so that he may more effectively fulfill his destiny. Although he still had the same cheerful disposition and earnestness that Iroh had noticed when they had first met, the boy was not as carefree as he used to be. Iroh felt both happy and sad for him; happy that he was showing wisdom beyond his years and sad that he had to forego the joys of his youth in order to take care of his responsibilities. The Avatar seemed to be keenly aware of the burden he bore as the one fated to restore balance to the world.

And so far, his progress wasn't half bad. It had been one heck of a week for them. Iroh recalled the momentous events that transpired.

It had been a week since they had last heard of both his nephew and the Avatar's waterbending master. He and Aang had successfully broken through the barriers of Ba Sing Se's hidden crystal catacombs. However, by the time they had reached the core of the prison, Zuko and Katara were nowhere to be found. And in their place stood a person whom Iroh had never expected to see, his sister-in-law, Ursa, Zuko's mother.

After the proper introductions had been made (which he found were unnecessary since Ursa knew very well what they were both there for), Ursa explained the disappearance of Zuko and Katara. She had sent them to the care of her exiled sister, Melisande in the Isle of Azufre. This decision had shocked Iroh.

"Why there, of all places, Ursa?" he had asked her while the Avatar stood in ignorant suspense.

His sister-in-law had smiled enigmatically, as she was wont to do and merely said, "Because that is the safest place for them both and for us all."

"I don't understand," Aang had objected vehemently, demanding a clearer explanation.

"It is rather complicated," replied Ursa, "but they had been in mortal danger and it was necessary for me to find them a sanctuary since you had not yet arrived. But it was also necessary for you not to get there on time. A betrayal was prevented."

Both Iroh and Aang had raised their eyebrows at this. Aang looked curiously at Iroh, who shrugged his shoulders. Ursa had smiled.

"I know this is a big favor to ask, young Avatar," she had said, "but I'm going to need you to trust me completely on this matter. I swear that I will let no harm come to your friend."

Aang had been struck by her earnestness and gravity. After a moment of hesitation, he nodded with a smile of understanding.

"Lately," he had explained, "I've been learning to let go of a lot of negative energies which have been hampering me from realizing my potential. So I have to let go of my doubts, too."

"You have clearly learned well," Ursa had replied serenely, "I think that you might finally understand that there is nothing wrong with choosing the power which is rightfully yours when you can use it to protect all those you love."

Although Aang had wondered at her apparent intimate knowledge of his inner turmoil, he had merely nodded in grateful acknowledgment.

"Choose wisely, and be careful," she warned them.

And then as suddenly as she had come, Ursa disappeared. A few minutes later, Azula had arrived with her Dai Li earthbenders. But they were no match for the combined might of the Dragon of the West and the fully-realized Avatar. For Aang had finally cleared his final charka and summoned all the cosmic energy of the Universe.

Azula, who had been so confident in her victory, was forced to retreat and subsequently to flee Ba Sing Se with her two henchwomen after a staggering defeat which once again proved the invulnerability of the Earth Kingdom's fortress city. The Earth King sent some of his best

There had been a grand celebration all over the city. The people rejoiced at their liberation from both the threat of the Fire Nation (at least for the time being) and the political tyranny of Long Feng and the Dai Li. The Earth King, in particular, made excessive shows of gratitude to the Avatar and his companions, bestowing on them many gifts and listening to their advice on how to proceed with the Earth Kingdom defenses.

They were in constant contact with Hakoda and his men so they could coordinate properly for the time of the invasion. Sokka and Iroh attended many councils with the Earth Kingdom generals to discuss strategies and resources.

Iroh was now a respected ally of the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe, having proved his allegiance by helping defeat Azula and her forces. Toph and Aang trusted him completely and Sokka saw him as an invaluable asset to their defenses. Nobody doubted his intentions.

They were all confident of success especially with Aang having mastered the Avatar state. Added to that was the fact that Iroh had volunteered to teach him firebending. Aang was elated at the opportunity and Iroh found him to be an eager and apt pupil.

"We're practically invincible now," Sokka had said enthusiastically, "This plan is sure to work. It's only a matter of time before this century-long war comes to an end."

They all tried not to talk about Katara or Zuko although the former was missed terribly by her brother and friends. Many times Iroh had come upon one of the Avatar's companions or the Avatar himself sighing longingly as he or she would stare at the moon or even something as simple as a cup of water. For his part Iroh missed his nephew dearly. After Zuko had recovered from that fever, he had become the son Iroh had always seen in him. For those few hours of his nephew's change of heart, Iroh had found himself the happiest he had ever been. Unfortunately, it had all been short-lived. But he consoled himself with the thought that Zuko had already changed for the better and when he came back from whatever journey his mother sent him on, this nephew of his would be ready to fight alongside his former enemies.

But none of them knew when they would see either of those two so they distracted themselves by focusing on training and scheming.

And so the days passed, spent in planning and setting up for the coming invasion. As meticulous as the preparations were, there was a lingering doubt in Iroh's mind about the invasion. There were several factors that he noticed which seemed to have been disregarded by Sokka and the generals. First was the idea that Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee had infiltrated Ba Sing Se as the preliminary preparations for the invasion were being made. Iroh was certain that such crucial information would not have slipped his sharp niece's notice. She must know something about it. That was also why she wasn't launching a retaliating attack even a week after her defeat. She had something better in mind. After all, she had gained the loyalty of the Dai Li who were excellent spies.

Then, there was the Earth King. Iroh did not doubt the young man's loyalties but he did doubt his politics and leadership. After being manipulated for many years by the sly Long Feng, the Earth King had very little experience in reigning over a kingdom. Kept ignorant of the world for so long, he was still naïve and impressionable. And he may have easily been entrapped by more adept enemies. Like Azula. Iroh resolved to look into that matter as soon as he could. It was of utmost importance.

Then, his pensive frown had further deepened when Iroh was told of how Sokka got the idea for the invasion. The Water Tribe Warrior mentioned the Library of the Great Spirit Wan Shi Tong.

Iroh now asked Sokka to repeat the story.

"Old beakboy thought he was the wisest," Sokka bragged again , "but good old Sokka, a mere mortal, was able to outsmart HIM! Ha!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Toph would interrupt, "we all know the story."

"Tell me again," Iroh persisted, "why the Spirit buried his library and made it inaccessible to all mortals?"

"He said something about people abusing the knowledge obtained from his library," Sokka recalled, holding his chin.

"Yeah," added Aang, "he mentioned that a firebender once went there to get information about defeating his enemies. So after that, he buried his library in the desert. And of course, after we escaped, he hid it away from the world."

"But we were lucky enough to get the information we needed just before he closed his library," Sokka concluded, "And that's why we have this great advantage right now."

Iroh frowned as he sipped his tea. Toph placed her feet on the floor and sensed the old man's mood. She frowned.

"What are you worried about?" she asked. Iroh looked up quickly. He had always been impressed by the young earthbender's sharpness and he had learned the hard way not to ever lie to her.

"Forgive me for saying this," he began, and the others listened intently, Sokka even dropped his charts to pay close attention, "but I don't think the invasion you're planning for might succeed."

There was a moment of stunned silence. Then, Sokka smiled.

"Iroh," he began, patting the old man's shoulder, "I know that you're worried that your Nation has formidable defense forces but that's why we formed Alliances with the rest of the Four Nations. We are not as weak as the Fire Lord supposes."

"Confidence is an important element in victory," Iroh replied, "but it is not the lack of confidence or the inadequacy of preparation that worries me. You mentioned a young firebender who visited the library. I have been quite certain for several days now that that firebender was the late Admiral Zhao."

Sokka's smile vanished and he and Aang listened more intently.

"Who's Admiral Zhao?" Toph piped in but she immediately added, "never mind. Another time."

"His invasion of the North Pole had failed, as you may well remember," Iroh explained, watching how Sokka's face acquired a shadow. He was remembering the girl who had become the Moon Spirit.

"And he told me himself," the old firebender continued, "that the basis of his invasion was crucial Water Tribe information that he had acquired from an amazing source. As there are no substantial records about Water Tribe culture in either the Fire Nation or the Earth Kingdom, I am pretty sure that he got his knowledge from Wan Shi Tong's library. And this was what enraged the spirit so much."

"But Zhao failed because he was on the wrong side," Aang tried arguing, "he wanted to continue the war. We want to end it."

Iroh sighed. There was still so much that they didn't understand.

"There is no justification for war, not even peace," Iroh remarked, "and if you do not see the blatant parallelisms between Zhao's invasion and yours, you are blind. (No offense, _he added to Toph who shrugged_)."

Sokka pondered. Then, Iroh further explained that it was possible that the Earth King had confided in the impostor Kyoshi Warriors thinking that they were trustworthy allies. Sokka, Aang, and Toph had to agree that this was a possibility.

"Don't look so downcast," Iroh consoled the dejected Sokka, "this is not the end of your campaign. I only advice that you make a backup plan for this invasion of yours. Do not lose hope. We have the Avatar. We have our Allies. And I am equally certain that this war must end as soon as possible. And don't forget that your sister and my nephew will be joining us eventually. Something tells me that their arrival will mark the beginning of a truly successful campaign against the Fire Lord."

"You're right," Sokka agreed, recovering from temporary disappointment, "we still have the time and resources to plan for a better invasion. We can still do this. And when Katara and the angry jerk (no offense) are back, we'll be ready to fight."

"Well, then," Iroh beamed, "there's no time to lose. Let's get back to work."


	9. Chapter 9

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar. That is that.

AN: Thanks to all those who reviewed. Sorry for the delay everyone. I've been busy with school and the like. But I'll make it up to you by posting two chapters this week. This chapter is a little heavy on the history of Ursa and Melisande. We'll be returning to the island in the next chapter.

CHAPTER NINE

"Oops…"

The Earth King had embarrassedly admitted to mentioning the invasion plan to the "Kyoshi Warriors". Iroh had sighed heavily. Sokka had slapped his forehead. Aang had frowned. Toph had punched a wall of earth. Momo had chirped.

"I had almost forgotten," the Earth King explained shamefacedly, scratching his head, "I'm really sorry."

"That is all right," Iroh replied, "at least we are certain that Azula knows about it and we may take the appropriate precautions. It is a situation not too difficult to remedy."

"All our hard work," Sokka mourned while Aang patted his back, "down the drain."

"Not quite," Iroh added with a sparkle in his eyes, "we have the advantage, you see. Azula may know about our invasion. But she doesn't know that we know she knows." Iroh grinned.

"Could you say that a little slower, please?" Sokka complained. Aang merely nodded.

"I mean," Iroh explained, "that we have less to worry about because we have the element of surprise on our side."

Sokka smiled wickedly and rubbed his palms together.

"Ah," said he, "the element of surprise, eh? I know about that."

Aang rolled his eyes and Toph slapped her forehead while Iroh looked at them curiously.

"What?" Sokka asked exasperatedly.

"Well, that means we don't have a moment to lose," Aang said, snapping out of the lighthearted mood and looking serious. Everyone followed suit.

"We need to make new plans," Iroh began, "and this time, we must make sure that our enemies know nothing about our intentions."

"So what are you waiting for?" Toph cried, "Let's get to work, people!"

And with that, they took leave of the Earth King and proceeded to draw out new strategies for their inevitable attack on the Fire Nation.

"Whew," sighed Sokka, clutching his forehead as he felt a headache coming on, "I now know some part of what you're going through, Aang. Trying to restore peace to the world is hungry work." A low rumbling was heard.

Everyone else looked at a sheepish Sokka who was clutching his stomach embarrassedly.

"Well," he said defensively, "I think the universe is telling us that it's time for a break. After all, no one can plan an invasion on an empty stomach."

"I heartily agree," Iroh said with a grin.

"I miss Sugar Queen," Toph said bluntly.

"You know, I never thought I'd say this," Sokka added, "but I even miss her nagging."

"And even her un-funny jokes," Toph pointed out. Sokka looked a little puzzled at this point but Aang nodded vigorously.

"So Aang," Sokka questioned the airbender, "I'm assuming your Avatar senses haven't been tingling lately since you seem to be so calm about everything. No premonitions of death? Tragedy? Not even a toothache?"

Aang smiled serenely.

"You're right, Sokka," he replied, "I haven't had any weird visions of the future because everything seems to be going according to plan. It's actually a relief to not be burdened by a foreknowledge of something unpleasant happening. I'm not really too worried about Katara right now. Sure, I miss her too but I'm at ease because my heart tells me she's safe and in good hands." With this, he turned and glanced at Iroh, who was (yet again) busy sipping a steaming cup of tea while listening intently to their banter.

The old man nodded and the two seemed to come to an understanding.

"You really like tea, don't you?" Sokka commented to Iroh's amusement.

"I assure you," replied the old man jovially, "it's no passing fancy with me."

Sokka looked skeptical and Aang and Toph laughed as they joined Iroh in tea-sipping.

"There's nothing wrong with tea, Sokka," Aang explained, "it's very calming and relaxing. It puts one at peace."

"I know, I know," Sokka replied impatiently but with mischief in his eyes, "but what I don't get is how you and Zuko managed to stay together for so long. I mean, that jerk, no offense, has got to be the highest strung, un-calm person I know, and we're not even close."

Iroh and Aang burst into laughter while Toph remained with a blank expression.

"Of course," she commented dryly, "I have no idea of what you're talking about but I'll pretend I get the joke just so I don't feel so out of the scene here."

"Sorry, Toph," Aang said, "sometimes I forget that you haven't been with us for that long and don't know everyone we know."

"Not that Zuko's acquaintance is one you'd like to make," Sokka added, trying to humor the earthbender. Iroh merely looked amused. He had long since gotten used to the Avatar's friends teasing his nephew and wasn't offended by it. Zuko needed teasing every now and then even though the poor firebender didn't know it. Iroh believed that his nephew seriously needed to lighten up.

"Well, he's got to be good somehow," defended Toph, "after all, he is Iroh's nephew."

"Aha," Sokka argued, "but you're also forgetting two essential facts about our favorite arch nemesis: one, he's also the son of the Fire Lord, and two, he's Azula's brother."

"Good point," Toph conceded, remembering the infamy of the reputations of both of those firebenders as well as the less than pleasant experiences she had with the latter.

"But I still stand by Iroh's word," Aang, ever the peacemaker, said, "that Zuko has some good inside him. I mean, remember what I told you about him saving me from Zhao once."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Sokka replied, "and I also remember how you made us suck on frozen frogs."

"Oh, come off it, Sokka," said Toph with annoyance, "we've heard YOU whine about that too many times."

"Iroh," Aang said, veering the topic of conversation away from another discourse on Sokka's throatal flap, "could you tell us more about Zuko's aunt? And his mother?"

Aang had seen Ursa for a brief moment in the crystal catacombs where she had explained the situation very quickly before disappearing. His impression of her was that she was vastly different from any Fire Nation person he had encountered. She had seemed kind and gentle, a great contrast to her children. But then again, if Zuko had come from such a woman then maybe he had a softer side to him, too. Aang needed to know more.

This had caught the others' attention and they all turned to the aged firebender.

"You're right, Twinkletoes," Toph added, "we know that Zuko's father and sister are evil personified but we don't know about his mother."

"Yeah," Sokka agreed, "and I'd like to know more about the person in whose care Katara is. My sister can be a handful but she needs protection too. And even I can't give her that."

"What's the story behind Ursa and Melisande?" Aang asked. The others now gathered around Iroh like grandchildren around a grandfather about to tell a story. Sokka even sipped some tea.

Iroh, glad to be given this opportunity of clearing his family's name a bit, began to recount the tale of the two sisters whose destinies had somehow shaped all that was happening at present. He took a deep breath and began.

"As I have told you before, Ursa, Zuko's mother, and Melisande are identical twin sisters. Their physical resemblance is so remarkable that when they were younger, it seemed almost impossible to tell them apart. As they grew up, however, certain characteristics surfaced to make one distinct from the other.

They were born to a rich and influential family. Added to their renowned beauty, intelligence, and wealth were the amazing gifts bestowed on each, for they were also two of the most mysterious women in the Fire Nation. Even now, no one is quite sure of what either of them is secretly planning.

Melisande was born a firebending prodigy with a skill that remains unparalleled, even by the Fire Lord, me, or Princess Azula who may have inherited her talent from her formidable aunt. Her advanced firebending abilities manifested themselves at an early stage in her life and her parents quickly took advantage of this. They sent her to train under the best firebending master of the time. He had been my firebending teacher as well and in that year, he was training my brother. Before Melisande had become the master's student, Ozai had been the best in his class. But after a while, the girl showed true prowess in the bending arts and surpassed even my brother's skills. Everyone was very impressed. Everyone but my brother, of course. However, he was wise enough to conceal his envy of the attention they young Melisande was receiving. Ever the manipulative politician, Ozai realized that he could use Melisande to forward his ambitions. He befriended her.

Melisande, however, despite her skills, was in awe of the brooding young prince and gladly accepted his friendship. I should have noticed even then that she seemed to be developing a certain attachment to my brother. Such feelings, however, were not reciprocated but were also not ignored. Ozai decided that he would use Melisande's affections to his advantage. They continued training under the master until they had both received the status of firebending master.

Ursa was a fair enough firebender, nothing, of course, in comparison to her sister. But Ursa was bestowed with another different but equally or even more powerful talent, the gift of foresight."

"You mean she was some kind of fortune-teller?" Sokka interrupted, looking very skeptical. After all, he didn't have a lot of pleasant memories with fortune tellers. Aang looked intrigued and Toph seemed curious to know more.

"I'm afraid it's more complicated than that," Iroh explained with a sigh, "you see Ursa's power was as much a burden as it was a gift. This isn't to say that she didn't enjoy using it every now and then but how can you possibly deal with the foreknowledge of every sad event that has yet to happen and know that you cannot prevent it? Or even worse, that you have been instrumental in causing the downfall of an individual or a nation because you have disclosed the secrets of the future to the wrong people?"

"It is a heavy burden indeed," Aang added, "I have heard of these individuals, who have this unique ability of interpreting the signs of nature which indicate what will happen in the future. Many of these seers have been Air Nomads, monks who have spent their whole lives meditating and connecting with the cosmic energy floating around. But on rare occasions, this power is bestowed on people from the Earth Kingdom, the Water Tribe, or the Fire Nation."

Iroh nodded. "And you must also know that the Avatar can never be a seer," the old man explained, "for this would negate the purpose of his existence. For if the Avatar knew exactly what to do to maintain peace and balance forever, there would be no need for him to be reincarnated."

Aang looked gravely at Iroh. The young airbender understood. Lately, after having cleared the clutter from his chakras, Aang's mind became clearer and more receptive to new information. He realized that it was one of the perks of mastering the Avatar state. He motioned to Iroh to continue.

"Naturally, with such abilities, Melisande and Ursa were the most sought-after brides in the Fire Nation. Any association with such family would surely bring great honor. Therefore, they had many suitors among whom was my brother, Ozai. Our father, Fire Lord Azulon, agreed that either one of the sisters must become member of the Royal family while the other would still be given an influential position in court. The great value of Ursa and Melisande's powers must be kept within the ruling class. In fact, had I not already been married, I am almost certain that father would have arranged a marriage between me and the sister who would not be married to Ozai.

After some time, the other suitors had no choice but to relinquish any claim or hope of wedding either one of the sisters. After all, it was impossible to compete with the son of the Fire Lord.

At first, many people believed that Ozai would choose his firebending classmate, Melisande. I, however, knew this to be impossible. Ozai would never stand to be outdone or contradicted by anyone so he would never marry her. And there were certain problematic issues with Melisande's attitude, as well. Being raised among the greatest warriors of the nation, she became very assertive and headstrong, traits desirable in a great leader or soldier but undesirable in a wife.

Being well-educated and involved in politics, she had also become ambitious and aggressive when power was concerned. Soon, only a select few dared oppose her and she had reached a considerable position in court. And she still retained that affection for my brother and nurtured the hope that he would choose her to be his bride."

"Wow," interrupted Toph, "this is starting to sound like one of those fancy tragic operas my parents used to let me listen to."

"Well, young earthbender," replied Iroh with a smile, "art imitates life." He continued.

"Although I believe that Melisande honestly cared for Ozai, I also know that she was drawn to the power and control he represented, being the son of the Fire Lord. My marriage having rendered me unreachable to her, she settled for second best.

But, as you may have already guessed, she was disappointed. Ozai chose the timid, gentle Ursa to be his wife and her sister was devastated. I was not surprised. Ursa was meek and obedient, the ideal wife. And then, there was her gift, the perfect weapon for a man determined to make it to the top. My brother planned his moves well.

However, he did forget that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. He had shrewdly excused himself to Melisande by saying that she would always be a dear friend. He thought that she would be content but he had misjudged her. She agreed to marry an aged duke whose territory was one of the largest Earth Kingdom colonies of the Fire Nation and my brother soon forgot about her since she had pledged to serve the best interests of the Fire Nation.

Ozai and Ursa's marriage caused a great rift between the sisters and for some time, Melisande refused to even see Ursa despite the latter's fervent attempts to reach out to her sister. Melisande became a duchess and retreated to the Earth Kingdom with her husband.

But I believe that it was all for the best because it was her stay in the colonies that opened her eyes to the cruelty of the Fire Nation. She saw how so many people were being unjustly persecuted because of the Fire Lord's determination to rule over all the Four Nations. This shattered all her previous beliefs about the Fire Nation and appealed to her sense of honor and justice.

So she decided to take control. Her husband, a weak and timid man, did not object to her rebellious activities. She began to engage in acts of treason to the Fire Nation. But she was always subtle enough to avoid detection. But many, including my brother, began to suspect her. She was put under surveillance.

A short while after she had begun these activities, her husband died in his sleep. I know for a fact that his death was a natural one, brought about by old age but of course, Melisande's detractors sought to use this to their advantage. She was framed for the murder of her husband but she vehemently denied this, of course. Nevertheless, she was placed under detention, giving plenty of opportunity for her enemies to find the evidence they need to prove her guilty of rebellion and sedition.

The Fire Lord sentenced her to death and she was ready to face it. However, her relationship with her sister had just recently been repaired, when she had attended Azula's christening. And Ursa, being who she was, pleaded on her sister's behalf. Ozai agreed to intervene but he had demanded a price from his wife. And though this was a heavy price to pay, Ursa agreed, out of love for her sister. I will explain this exchange to you perhaps on another day. Suffice to say, Melisande's sentence was reduced to banishment to the Isle of Azufre and there she has been for the past eight years.

And although the circumstances have proven to be beneficial to us at the moment, I've sometimes wondered if Melisande thought that her banishment to that place was a fate worse than death."


	10. Chapter 10

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar. That is that.

AN: Sorry this is a little delayed; I got caught up with so many things.

CHAPTER TEN

"Something is troubling you, nephew," Melisande said casually as her nephew helped her tidy up the house. Katara had gone out to desalinate some drinking water for them.

Zuko didn't even look at his aunt. He simply muttered, "It's of no consequence."

Melisande raised an eyebrow.

"Ah," she said mischievously, "but I have seen so little of you as you were growing up so I'd really like to take this opportunity to make up for lost time by knowing every little thing about you. You have to humor an old woman."

Zuko had no ready reply so he made no answer.

"And," added his aunt almost sinisterly and with a strange sparkle in her eyes, "this is a small island. I'm going to find out eventually. There are…certain methods, you know."

Zuko rolled his eyes but was wary. Azula may have inherited certain traits from Melisande. And if his sister was deadly, what could he expect from the person who gave her the sinister genes?

"Fine," he muttered. Melisande smiled triumphantly.

The young firebender explained how he had lost his firebending. His tone was rather defensive because he had expected his aunt to laugh at his unfortunate predicament. To his surprise, her expression turned from eager to grave and she listened to his story with a pensive silence.

"So we come to it, at last," she whispered, almost to herself, "the island did not spare you."

It was now Zuko's turn to ask questions. He arched an eyebrow.

"What are you talking about, Aunt?"

The somber Duchess faced her nephew with a dark expression. Then she took both of his hands and squeezed them almost tenderly. For his part, Zuko was taken aback by such a gesture. Such shows of affection were rare in his family except with his mother. He reciprocated the gesture and waited for the explanation. His aunt seemed to be cheered by this and was able to look at him again and he saw that she seemed to be suppressing tears.

"Do you know why being sent to this place is really such a severe punishment to firebenders?" she said.

"I've considered the isolation and impossibility of escape," Zuko began, "but I'm sure you'll be telling me that there's something even worse."

Melisande couldn't help but smile. "Well, you catch on quickly," she replied, "and I'm proud of you. I'll go straight to the point then. This island absorbs your inner fire and removes your firebending. And that is what makes it a living hell for all firebenders."

Zuko's eyes widened and he was unable to speak for a few moments. It was a terrible blow to he who had always found comfort and strength in his inner fire. Now that it was snuffed out, he felt that a large part of him had died and he was nothing but an empty shell of a person. But he was able to tear himself away from personal suffering to consider how his aunt must be feeling. He already felt miserable being deprived of his firebending for a few days, how much more difficult must it be for his aunt who had lost hers for the past eight years?

"I'm sorry that you have to endure this burden, nephew," comforted Melisande, "but the power, or curse, of this island cannot be reversed. For as long as you are here, you will be subject to the isle's strange conditions."

"It is difficult, aunt," he replied, "However, I believe that if you were able to endure it for eight years, so can I. After all, I doubt that we will be here much longer. The storm you have spoken of is fast approaching."

A bright and significant sparkle had lit Melisande's golden eyes as he spoke and he now looked at her curiously. He knew that mischievous look.

"But there's something you're not telling me, aunt," said he, almost teasingly, "something good, I presume?"

Melisande grinned.

"You didn't think I would take such treatment sitting down, did you?"

"I wouldn't think so. No one in our family would have. So what did you discover?"

"Well," boasted a glowing Melisande, "I wasn't called a firebending prodigy for nothing."

Zuko rolled his eyes but he was smiling expectantly. Melisande smiled back.

"You see, Zuko," explained his aunt, "I found a way around this whole curse. After all, I had eight years to figure it out and to investigate every little detail about it. I refused to wallow in self-pity and misery. I was determined to thwart everyone's efforts to break me. So I discovered something exceedingly valuable. While the effects of the island's mysterious powers cannot be reversed, they can be reduced."

Melisande paused for effect. Zuko was now listening intently and he nodded for his aunt to continue.

"It seems that if I conserve my internal energy by resting, meditating, and sleeping enough, and believe me, I've had more than enough sleep, and I can actually regain my bending but only while the sun is up. Otherwise, the consequences will be dire. Believe me, I've tried to bend after sunset and the pain of the exertion is unbearable. That's an experience I never want to repeat. Nevertheless, I made a significant breakthrough. I've also discovered certain breathing techniques and drilling exercises which greatly amplify firebending even in our limited surroundings. Indeed, even the most powerful of ancient forces can be bested with a little luck and ingenuity."

And Melisande ended with a flourish and a wide grin Zuko found rather disconcerting. Except for Uncle Iroh, nobody really grinned in his family. All agreeable facial expressions were limited to smirks, small smiles, and the occasional sneer (not that those were positive but at least they were relatively happy expressions).

Trying to look unimpressed so as not to fuel his aunt's rising ego, Zuko paused. Melisande understood his intent but did not waver. She gave him a mischievous glance.

"Well, Aunt," he began, giving up his whole stoic act, "since you have so _ingeniously _discovered ways of going against the curse, could you please teach them to me as well?" He gave a humble and sincere bow.

Melisande smiled grandly.

"I thought you'd never ask," she replied benevolently. Her golden eyes turned to the radiant sunlight streaming through their window.

"We can start right now," she announced, dropping her broom and rags, and pointing to the sky, "the sun won't be up much longer. Remember what I told you about firebending after sunset?"

"Don't do it," Zuko replied.

"Excellent. You are a fast learner. I believe I won't have any problems with you, pupil. Come along then."

As Zuko followed his aunt, she paused by the door and without turning her head, said, "And by the way, Katara, it's safe to come out now. I trust you've been standing in the sun far longer than what is healthy."

And from the shadows of the doorway, Katara emerged, blushing with embarrassment at being caught. Zuko eyed her warily. Just how much had she heard?

"I'm awfully sorry, my lady," Katara apologized awkwardly, "I didn't mean to eavesdrop. I.."

"No need to explain yourself, my dear," Melisande comforted her, "I understand that you didn't want to interrupt a potentially important and intimate family conversation. Don't worry. No harm done. Am I right, Zuko?"

Melisande nudged her nephew and Zuko gave a curt nod. Katara looked at him curiously before sighing with relief and expressing her gratitude to Melisande.

"Now," the older firebender said excitedly, "I believe we have some training to catch up on. Care to join us, Katara? Of course, we'll be bending different elements but we still must put our time here to good use."

"I agree," Katara replied, "but I would not want to get in your way. I shall practice at the other side of the island."

"Very well. We'll see you again at supper time, I trust?"

"Of course, Lady Melisande."

"And what did I say about dropping formalities? Call me 'aunt', child, for you are as much a member of my family by simply living with me here."

Katara smiled. "Thank you, aunt."

"That's much better. Now, run along then.."

And so the benders parted ways and went to further train themselves in their elements.

"So that's why you're constantly drinking tea, aunt! It is a technique of storing energy and maintaining a serene state of mind," Zuko marveled as his aunt demonstrated some impressive and seemingly effortless firebending wherein jets of flame seemed to flow out of her fingertips.

"Well, of course, Zuko," Melisande replied, while carefully and expertly aiming a small jet of fire at a nearby rock and causing it to explode, "I'm not as fanatical about the beverage as your Uncle Iroh."

They smiled at each other, remembering the familiar face. And somewhere within the secure walls of Ba Sing Se, the proprietor of the Jasmine Dragon coughed.

"But you have to admit, the drink has its merits," Melisande continued, this time creating a sort of flame-mosaic in the air by artfully directing her flames from the tips of her fingers. Zuko marveled at her skill and longed to imitate her. But the first lesson she had taught him was to be still and patient, to wait as his energy accumulated and he was able to gather enough energy to attempt bending. And to do this he had to engage in certain breathing exercises which he was carefully doing.

Melisande looked at her nephew approvingly. He certainly wasn't the best firebender there was but he might just be the most diligent and persevering. And she admired that in him. Growing up as a prodigy, she never had to exert too much effort in order to be successful. Everything had come easy to her. But for all her talent, she still ended up in this solitary place, atoning for her crimes. And unfortunately for her, she was unaccustomed to hardship and suffering.

Her nephew, on the other hand, was strong-willed and enduring because he had had to struggle to reach his current status. She saw in him the marks of suffering and trials and obstacles overcome through sheer determination and she marveled at this acquired strength. And though she was slightly envious of such power, she was also very proud of Zuko and of what he had become through his many struggles, and what he was seeking to become. She knew that his destiny was greatness acquired through humility and sacrifice. But this glory was the purest of all.

"Well, you can't just sit there doing breathing exercises all day. Sunset approaches and we have to make some progress if you want to get your bending back," Melisande announced, her hands on her hips.

Zuko looked up at her in eagerness and gratitude. He stood up quickly and got into a basic firebending stance. Melisande shook her head.

"Let's begin with small steps, shall we?" she instructed, "Remember what I've been telling you for the past few hours. On this island, your energy is precious so you must be able to channel it in such a way that you are able to make the most of what little you have. Precision and strategy instead of brute force and massive blows."

"I understand," Zuko said.

"Good. Then, I want you to send a small jet of fire at that rock." She pointed to a smallish rock surrounded by dense vegetation which stood several feet away. Zuko prepared to strike when Melisande added, "But make sure not a leaf of those bushes will be singed even slightly."

Zuko looked at her with wide-eyes. Now, that was a challenge. She returned his gaze with a gravity that showed she meant business.

"Focus," she counseled, "and precision."

The young firebender nodded and took a deep breath, concentrating hard on the task at hand. He closed his eyes and imagined the rock before him. He visualized the small jet of fire that would emerge from his fingertip. Because it was small, it would travel quickly, and then it would hit the target, and only the target. Without harming the surroundings. Another deep breath.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes and in one swift, fluid movement he swung his right arm toward the rock, his point finger emitting a small but powerful flame which flew rapidly. And the rock exploded into tiny pieces. The fragments fell on the lush, verdant bushes which had warmed up a bit but were nevertheless unharmed.

Zuko was panting from the extreme concentration but he was glad. Beside him Melisande clapped.

"An excellent beginning, nephew," she commended him.

"Thank you, Aunt," he humbly replied.

Now, Melisande held her chin pensively, analyzing Zuko's form and movement. She took his hand and examined his fingers. Zuko awaited her appraisal.

"Very impressive," she commented, "you seem to have mastered the art of firing small flames accurately and with considerable aim, an effective way of using your energy. This skill is obviously the result of much practice. You've had experience with this kind firebending before, am I right?"

Recalling a night not so long ago when he had lit a dozen or so candles in a plaza in Ba Sing Se, Zuko nodded, blushing slightly when he remembered the circumstances. Such emotion did not escape his tenacious aunt and she smiled knowingly.

"Experience, indeed," she said slyly, "I sense a story behind this." And with this she raised her eyebrows significantly.

"Ummm.." Zuko replied awkwardly, "it's rather embarrassing."

"All the better," she replied brightly, but also added, "after all, we are family. There should be no secrets between us."

"Sunset is in less than an hour," Zuko said hurriedly, trying to change the subject, "We shouldn't waste this opportunity to train some more today."

"Ha! You won't get away that easily," his aunt remarked, "but I'll humor you for now. But don't forget that we have a whole night ahead of us. You're well aware that you cannot hide anything from me."

Zuko groaned. A whole, awkward night it's going to be.

"Nevertheless," his aunt concluded, her mischievous tone somewhat subdued, "today has been very productive. We must turn in early if we want to be up every dawn to train. You won't be staying here forever and I have to teach you everything I know before you go."

"You're really going to be my firebending master, aunt," Zuko asked in surprise.

"Well, I don't see why I should not be," Melisande replied, "there are certain tricks I know that I must share or else my talent will just go to waste here. Let's see: we still have shooting and redirecting lightning, multiple blasting, fire kicking, the dragon's breath, juggling fireballs, and so many more!"

Zuko almost laughed out loud at "juggling fireballs."

"I am looking forward to learning as much as I can with you, master," Zuko said, bowing humbly.

"So am I, nephew, so am I."

And thus many days passed on the isle, with the two firebenders learning from each other while the waterbender practiced her own bending. Then, the nights were spent in conversation and discussion of the next day's activities. Katara was grateful that she was never treated as a stranger in that house and even Zuko seemed to be making an effort to be friendly to her. Such peaceful and beautiful nights.

But the storm was fast approaching and certain events that would set it in motion were about to take their course.


	11. Chapter 11

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar. That is that.

NOTE: Sorry for the long delay. I hope this doesn't turn you guys off. I've been really busy these past few weeks. Another Zuko-Katara bonding moment. Sorry about some rehashed dialogue. I just had to add it here to let the story move along. And I borrowed a little line from "Pride and Prejudice" too.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

"It looks like this will be our last sunny day," Melisande commented as she took a good look at the gathering storm clouds, "so we'll have to make the most of it. Although we've made considerable progress in the past few weeks, there's still one last thing I'd like us to do before the storm hides the sun indefinitely. Wait here."

Zuko nodded and turned back to his bending while his aunt went to the house.

Katara stood nearby and she likewise took a long look at the darkening sky. The coming storm wouldn't adversely affect her like it would the two firebenders. If anything, the heavy rain and greater moonlight would intensify her waterbending. Her blue eyes rested on the young firebender beside her who continued to diligently practice his bending in the final moments of sunlight. She truly admired his determination and hard work.

_Maybe, _she thought, _had circumstances been very different, we might have gotten along quite well._

Looking around her, expecting to see Sokka's sarcastic smirk, Toph's mischievous grin, Aang's shy gaze, Momo's wide eyes, or Appa's bulk. She sighed when all she saw was a small, desolate island, surrounded by a vast ocean, and the lone figure of Zuko practicing his bending. Katara had been joining the young man and his aunt for the past few days, not only to observe their fighting techniques but more importantly, to feel the warmth (almost literally) of companionship. She wasn't accustomed to solitude, having grown up in a close-knit community. Even when she and Sokka had started traveling with Aang and subsequently, with Toph, she was never alone. In fact, she sometimes wanted some time to herself.

Katara smiled. _Be careful for what you wish for, I guess, _she thought. After all, ever since she arrived on the island, she had the luxury of time to herself. But anything in excess always loses its charm. And now the waterbending master found herself missing her friends more and more. She turned her gaze to Zuko, who was determined to use every moment of sunlight for firebending. After all, one felt almost crippled when one was unable to bend one's element.

Slowly but surely, she was beginning to understand the intense firebender a little better. After spending time with him, Katara was able to surmise his motivations and goals. Because they were forced to live under the same roof, they had had to establish some level of civility with one another. For Katara who was friendly and kind in nature, this wasn't so difficult. Being curious about Zuko was also another motivation for her to be friendly. They had had their share of arguments but they had learned to make up after every fight. After all, it was pointless to pursue animosity in isolation.

It was especially hard on Zuko, who was not a people person in general, to treat Katara with more than just cordiality. Despite all his aunt had impressed upon him and his exposure to the waterbender, Zuko was still struggling over what he would do once they escaped the island. Joining the Avatar seemed too drastic a course of action but going back to his father was also out of the question. To distract himself from his moral quandaries, he would train himself to utter exhaustion so that he would not have the strength to dwell on them at night.

Melisande had noticed his excessive exertion but had said nothing. She understood that her nephew needed a lot of time to sort things out and no amount of persuasion was going to be effective if he didn't acquire the initiative to do what he was destined to. So she left him alone.

And on this day, the last "sunny" day, Zuko was determined to really tire himself out. He didn't even want to imagine the sleepless nights he would spend thinking about the future. He sent a fire blast towards a nearby rock. No, he would not think about such unpleasantness now, not while the sun still gave him his bending.

Seeing that he wasn't going to start a conversation any time soon, Katara took the initiative. As she formed a small water globe with her hands, she commented lightly, "Don't work yourself too hard, Zuko. I'm beginning to look lazy beside you."

"You don't have a time limit," he muttered as he practiced his stances and did some breathing exercises.

Katara sighed and replied, "I know that but it doesn't mean you have to exhaust all your energy in one go. You still have a few hours. And besides, your aunt still has a task for you to accomplish, remember?"

Zuko nodded but said nothing.

"Besides," Katara teased, still trying to get him to react, "it's your turn to do the dishes tonight and I'm not trading my shift just because someone tired himself out firebending."

Zuko stopped his drills for a moment and looked at the waterbender curiously. She grinned at him and he did not know how to react. So he simply resumed his practice and muttered, "Don't worry about it."

"Oh, come on, Zuko," Katara urged, "lighten up. There's really not much we can do while we're here so we might as well make the most of this opportunity to rest and charge up for the battles we'll have to face once we get out of here."

Zuko said nothing and just continued his practicing, throwing a small fireball and causing a little explosion in the sand. Katara tried to hide her exasperation.

"I know this whole situation is a little strange for you too, but we just have to deal with it," Katara began, "and the more I think about it, the more I appreciate the change in circumstances. I mean, now, I am able to learn more about you when some time ago, whenever I would imagine the face of the enemy, it was your face." Katara gasped and placed her palm to her mouth.

Zuko abruptly dropped the fireball he had been forming and instinctively put a hand on his scar. Katara winced and mentally slapped herself.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid, Katara, _she remonstrated herself, _how could you have been so inconsiderate and tactless? What will he think of you now? It would be completely understandable if you never earned his friendship because of such a mean statement! Idiot!_

"My face. I see," Zuko said gravely, his back to her. Katara winced again. This was going to be hard to fix.

"No, no, that's not what I meant," she replied quickly. Surprisingly, Zuko didn't look angry.

"It's ok," he replied," I used to think this scar marked me. The mark of the banished prince, cursed to chase the Avatar forever. But lately, I've realized I'm free to determine my own destiny, even if I'll never be free of my mark."

Katara was astounded. She would never have imagined he'd take such a comment so well. The more she regretted having said something so unkind to him. She racked her brains for a fitting reply when an idea occurred to her.

"Maybe you could be free of it," Katara suggested, her eyes growing brighter with the realization of the feasibility of her plan.

A glimmer of hope flashed in Zuko's eyes. It was now his turn to be surprised. He turned to Katara.

"What?" he asked with hope in his golden pupils.

"I have healing abilities," Katara replied with a gentle smile.

Zuko's face fell. _So much for that. _

"It's a scar," he said, "It can't be healed." He was about to turn back to his bending when he noticed that Katara seemed unfazed by his statement.

She reached under her shirt and held up a small ornamented vial of sparkling water. Zuko stared at it. 

"This is water from the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole," she explained, "it has special properties, so I have be saving it for something important."

She walked up to a wide-eyed Zuko and faced him, holding the vial in one hand. "I don't know if it would work, but…"

Zuko stared at her for a moment. But he closed his eyes, silently accepting Katara's offer. Katara placed her hand on Zuko's scar and examined it.

Zuko could feel his heart pounding. If the oasis water really had special powers, he might just be rid of his incriminating scar forever, the scar that had changed his life so greatly. Maybe this was his chance to make his own destiny, to pick up where he left off, no longer bound to chase an impossible target, no longer fettered to someone's expectations. The removal of this scar would finally free him.

But as he felt Katara's cool touch on his face, Zuko remembered his uncle's words to him when they both stood at the flying bison's cell beneath Lake Laogai in Ba Sing Se.

"_I'm __begging __you Prince Zuko! It's time for you to look inward, and begin asking yourself the big questions. Who are you__‌__? And what do __you__ want__‌__ to do with your life?"_

Then, Zuko understood what he had to do. He realized that it wasn't the scar that was limiting his destiny, it was him. All his doubts, uncertainties, fears, misunderstandings, and regrets were keeping him from becoming the person his uncle wanted him to be, that "beautiful prince." It didn't matter whether or not the scar marked his face. For as long as he is taken over by his confusion and his indecisiveness, nothing would change, even with an unblemished face.

Katara was summoning her healing energies and was just about to draw the Spirit Oasis water from her vial when Zuko placed both his hands over hers. He gently pulled her hand away from his scar. She looked at him incredulously and incomprehensibly. But his expression was serene and almost happy. It seemed that he had come to some great decision.

"What's wrong?" she asked with concern lighting up her blue eyes.

"It's all right," he answered with emotion, "don't waste your precious water on me. I just realized now that it wasn't my scar that was preventing me from making the right choices, it was my own inner inhibitions, my fears, and doubts, and regrets. I have lived with this scar for three years and I am certain that I can live with it for the rest of my life. I just need to face the consequences of my actions in the past and move on."

Katara's eyes were glowing with unshed tears. She felt so happy for him now that he seemed to have accepted himself and that he trusted her enough to tell her all this. The young waterbender felt that such a revelation was more precious than hours of silly small talk and she was grateful that she had not wounded him so deeply with her careless remark.

"Thank you for your offer, though," Zuko concluded with a small, grateful smile, "no one outside my family has ever shown me such kindness. And considering what I've done to you in the past, I know that I don't deserve it."

With this, he squeezed her hand warmly and Katara could not help but give a wide smile in response. She nodded in perfect understanding. He gave her a significant look before letting go. Katara wiped away the tears that she couldn't hold back. For a few moments, Zuko stood awkwardly in front of her, not knowing what to say to assuage her. Katara said in a few almost unintelligible words that she was just happy for him and he muttered a soft "thank you."

Still baffled about what to say to make the situation less uncomfortable, Zuko scratched his head. Katara continued to express her joy but he was still uneasy about her tears.

"Besides," Zuko finally said, hoping that this feeble attempt at joking would work, "I've come into contact with your Spirit Oasis water before and, to be honest, it wasn't exactly a pleasant experience."

At this, Katara couldn't help but raise her eyebrow skeptically.

"What exactly do you mean by that?" she asked defensively, pouting and putting her hands on her hips.

"Your Ocean and Moon spirits don't take too kindly to me," Zuko replied slyly, "remember how I was frozen in huge blocks of ice at the North Pole. You used the Spirit Oasis water then, I believe."

Katara was just about to fire another retort to his seeming insolence when she remembered their duel at the North Pole oasis not too long ago. Seeing her expression of understanding, Zuko smirked and also heaved a sigh of relief. He also rolled his eyes.

It was then that Katara burst out laughing. Zuko looked at her strangely before smiling and chuckling slightly. The silliness of his statements struck him and they both began laughing at it. And for a few seconds, the murky memories of the past were set aside and two former foes enjoyed a moment of absolute contentment.

After having her fill of the joke, Katara grinned at Zuko.

"I can see why you're not so keen on having Spirit Oasis water, then," she said with a wide smile, "you do have a sense of humor, after all. I only wish you would let it out every once in a while, Zuko."

"I try," he replied, with a smile that rendered him almost unrecognizable to Katara, and she was unable to suppress a slight blush. She was tempted to urge him to smile more often as well but she felt embarrassed all of a sudden.

Sensing that their conversation was concluded, Zuko resumed his training. And as she continued to observe him, Katara thought that it was just as well that Zuko didn't let her heal his scar. Somehow, she couldn't imagine Zuko without it, so integral a part of him (and not just his face) had it been in the entirety of their acquaintance.

And now that she was seeing new sides to Zuko that she never would have expected in the past, she didn't want him to change. For in essentials, she now saw, he is as he ever was.

Katara observed as Zuko raised both hands with his fingertips quivering, and created a large ball of fire and aimed it at the sea. She narrowed her eyes. Now why did that particular move seem so familiar? Then, it hit her.

Zuko's drilling was once again interrupted by the excited waterbender. She had gasped loudly and he had turned to look at her. Her blue eyes were wide and she was pointing excitedly at him.

"That's a waterbending technique!" she cried with enthusiasm. "How can you be using that for firebending?"

"Well, it works, for one thing," Zuko answered curtly.

"I can see that. But why?"

"It was Uncle Iroh's idea, actually," the firebender replied, "he said that it is important to draw wisdom from many different places. Understanding others, the other elements, and the other nations will help you become whole. So he showed me some firebending techniques which he learned by watching the waterbenders."

"Your uncle's wisdom never ceases to amaze me."

"It takes getting used to," Zuko replied with a smile.

"I guess it does," Katara said, returning the smile, "So you're telling me your uncle taught you the move you were performing earlier?"

"Well, no, not that one," Zuko answered, scratching his head.

"So who taught you that?" Katara inquired.

"You did, actually."

Now, Katara was really surprised. In fact, she was so taken aback by Zuko's answer that she made no reply. She merely mouthed the words "how" and "when" but no sound came from her.

Zuko laughed softly.

"You didn't teach me directly, of course," he explained, "but when uncle told me to draw knowledge from different sources, I tried to recall every battle I had with you and I picked up this technique. And apparently, it works well with fire as well as water."

Having gotten over the surprise, Katara smiled again.

"I have to admit, Zuko," she remarked, "you are very, very impressive. In fact, I firmly believe that you would have made an excellent waterbender."

Zuko frowned slightly at this, to Katara's amusement.

"I mean that I've never seen anyone work so hard at his bending," she explained, "you wouldn't believe how Aang slacks off sometimes!"

"It's a force of habit, I guess," Zuko said, "no one ever really 'slacks off' in the Fire Nation."

"I've noticed that much," Katara agreed, remembering the relentless pursuers of the Avatar from the Fire Nation, "but since you're determined to become the greatest firebender in the world, you won't refuse my sharing some more waterbending techniques with you, will you? And maybe I should follow suit and see some firebending moves that might help improve my waterbending?"

"Not a bad idea," Zuko replied with a smile. And so the two benders went about sharing techniques and learning from one another for the better part of the afternoon.

"Inter-elemental training," Melisande commented upon seeing the two benders hard at work, "I never would have imagined this possible. Especially between two opposite elements."

At this, Zuko and Katara ceased their training and looked shyly away from each other.

Melisande noted this with glee. But then her expression turned serious.

"As I said, there's still one more thing I'd like us to do, nephew," she announced as she threw a heap of Fire Nation ceremonial clothing at him.

As he caught the slightly dusty garments, Zuko realized what they were for and looked back at his aunt anxiously. Seeing the firebenders' grave expressions, Katara was on her guard.

"Is this for real, aunt?" Zuko asked sternly.

Melisande's golden eyes were ablaze, as if rejuvenated with anticipation.

"I am perfectly serious, nephew," she said with conviction, "I am challenging you to an Agni Kai."


	12. Chapter 12

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar. That is that.

AN: Ah, the Agni Kai. I will apologize in advance for some bad writing in this chapter. I've built up some hype for the aunt-nephew Agni Kai but I don't really know if I have what it takes to write an awesome, kick-ass battle scene with amazing moves and choreography. I'll try my best but I can't assure you a good chapter. I am not that good at describing battle sequences. But nevertheless, this duel is crucial to the story. Suffice to say, please let your imagination do the rest (it also helps if you listen to the "agni kai" track from the Zhao-Zuko Agni Kai. It really puts one in the mood).

Writing this has tired me out as much as the duel tired out the fighters. Hope you enjoy somehow. Thanks.

CHAPTER TWELVE

"Excuse me, but what's an Agni Kai?"

Comical as her interruption seemed to the intensity and gravity of the firebenders, Katara couldn't help asking it. After all, she felt left out because of Zuko and Melisande's silent understanding of what was going on. And to be left out when there are only three of you on an isolated island in the middle of nowhere is uncomfortable, to say the least.

Fortunately (or unfortunately, Katara was unable to judge the circumstances), her innocent question made the nephew and aunt snap out of their intense trance. The waterbender sighed with relief at the released tension but she was also aware of a heightened vigilance on the parts of both firebenders. Melisande was smirking with giddy excitement and this alien expression on the usually serene lady gave her youthful looks. Zuko, on the other hand, had a grave expression and almost that of sadness, as if plagued by some unpleasant memory. Katara looked at him sympathetically and an awkward silence pursued. The waterbender turned her blue eyes to the older firebender, wondering what Melisande's intention may be.

Just as the former duchess opened her mouth to answer Katara's query, Zuko overtook her.

"It's a fire duel, Katara," he explained, without turning to look at the astonished waterbender, "a tradition among firebenders used to settle conflicts, and disputes of honor." The last word seemed to be pronounced with a certain disdainful emphasis. Katara looked at him anxiously.

"You know it well, nephew," Melisande replied with a knowing look, "but before you jump to nasty conclusions about this particular Agni Kai, I'm going to have to make few alterations. There are certain unpleasant events that I don't wish to repeat in this duel." In saying that, she gave him an earnest look and he dropped his hostile gaze, in seeming relief but gave her another curious glance.

Melisande sighed. "I know that another Agni Kai with a family member might bring back some painful memories," she explained gently, "but that's one of the reasons why I want to have this duel with you in the first place."

Although feminine curiosity made Katara eager to know what Melisande meant, the waterbender had the tact and good sense to keep her mouth shut and to simply listen.

Zuko was eying his aunt with a mixture of apprehension and curiosity.

Melisande continued. "We obviously have no dispute over honor, unless you think so _(to which Zuko violently shook his head), _and no conflict to settle so the basic motives for an Agni Kai in this case are pretty much non-existent. But that's not why we're doing it. This duel is meant to be your final test, nephew. After all the extensive firebending training we've had in the past few weeks, I now believe that you are more than ready to face a greater challenge."

"But a duel?" Katara interrupted, "Isn't that a bit too extreme?"

"Not in the least," Melisande replied with a smile, "I doubt thousands of sparring sessions can create the same combative atmosphere as a real duel. And I want Zuko to feel that not all Agni Kais are sources of unpleasantness and that he can actually walk away from one with real contentment."

Zuko narrowed his eyes. His aunt returned his gaze with the same intensity.

"This duel is also to firmly establish your status as a firebending master," she said with conviction. Zuko's golden eyes went wide and Katara looked similarly astonished. The younger firebender gave his aunt a grateful and humble look. But Melisande was by no means finished. "… and to reaffirm mine."

She smirked but Zuko returned her mischievous smile. Katara smiled as well.

"But I've already beaten a firebending master in an Agni Kai," Zuko said, as if to argue, although he didn't look too proud of his statement. Melisande responded to his attempt at a boast by laughing heartily which made her nephew look startled and sheepish. The young man pouted in an almost boyish manner, compelling Katara to give a soft chuckle as well.

"Don't get me wrong, Zuko," his aunt countered in between laughs, "I do not doubt your firebending prowess and seeing how you've improved considerably over our training, I'm sure you are even more powerful than before. But acquiring the status of 'master' after beating Zhao? Please. It's an insult to your lineage and to your skills. You can do so much better than that. A superior opponent and not just some scheming, ambitious plotter with no self control, would be a true testament to your powers."

Zuko didn't know whether to be flattered by his aunt's praise of his skills or to be surprised at her knowledge. He wasn't particularly fond of Zhao (to say the least) but he did feel that his aunt was being quite highhanded about the matter.

"You beat Zhao in a fire duel?" Katara asked, her eyes not hiding her admiration, and her glee. After all, she did not hold very fond sentiments for the man who had killed the Moon Spirit.

"It's a long story," Zuko told her, his hand scratching his head in humility, "although I wonder how Aunt Melisande knows about it?" This accusation elicited another round of laughter from his aunt.

She raised her point finger and in a matter-of-fact tone stated, "I have my ways of finding things out. Let's leave it at that, shall we? Besides, as I was saying, I haven't had any decent training for myself in eight years. Don't deny me this privilege, will you?"

Zuko looked sincerely moved by his aunt's high opinion of his skills. He bowed reverently in the customary Fire Nation style, with a fist covered by the other hand. His aunt returned the formality.

"And lastly," she said in a lighthearted tone, "this will be our little contribution to redeeming the Agni Kai tradition and bringing back a sense of honor and prestige to it."

"What do you mean, Aunt?"

"You, of all people, have witnessed firsthand how the purpose for Agni Kais has been degraded. How a long and sacred tradition of the Fire Nation has been reduced to some ruthless excuse for gratuitous violence. If Ozai is master of anything, it's of bending rules." Both Zuko and Katara cringed at this.

Zuko whispered, "I think my aunt, my uncle, and your brother would get along quite nicely."

Katara chuckled and replied in the affirmative. However, Melisande chose to ignore their pleasantries and continued on a more somber note.

"It was the Fire Lord's family who made this happen," she continued, "so it also must be the Fire Lord's family who will undo this disgrace. The older firebender's expression turned grim and the fist she made emitted a wisp of smoke. Zuko nodded in understanding.

"So, Prince Zuko, do you accept my challenge," Melisande said with a serious smile.

"It would be an honor, Lady Melisande," Zuko replied.

"So get dressed already. We don't have much time."

They chose the beach to serve as their makeshift arena. Aunt and nephew changed into the customary Agni Kai costumes. Zuko was bare-chested with only a small cloth covering his back while Melisande sported a female sleeveless top. Both were barefoot and wore rings around their upper arms.

Melisande purposely said nothing to Katara but gave the girl a sympathetic smile. She seemed to leave the talking to her nephew.

"It would be best for you to keep some distance from us," Zuko warned Katara seriously, "to prevent any accidents. In fact, maybe you shouldn't be a spectator to this at all. It could get dangerous."

Katara answered in a lively tone, "I truly appreciate your concern for my well-being, your Highness, but you might be forgetting that I am a waterbending master. I can take care of myself. Besides, I've got nothing better to do. This is to be my first Agni Kai."

Although taken aback by her response, Zuko only mumbled, "Suit yourself," and he turned to go to his side of the 'arena'. As he walked away, Katara felt an overwhelming urge to cheer him on somehow, although the match was not a deadly one. Not knowing how to proceed, she ended up just saying, "Good luck."

The young man stopped walking and turned his head to look at her and gave what was close to a grateful smile before continuing. It was Katara's turn to be taken aback and it took a few moments for her to recollect herself and to move to a high ledge on the beach where she could watch the duel safely.

The two firebenders had their backs to each other, kneeling on opposite sides of the beach. The sun was still in its late afternoon glory but it wasn't long before sunset. The winds were also chilly and there was a slight drizzle. The match would have to be concluded soon.

The firebenders stood up. Zuko's ceremonial top covering slid off his back as he turned to face his opponent. Katara was surprised by the determined and serious expressions on their faces. She couldn't imagine what it was like to face a close family member in combat like this and she hoped she would never have to. But somehow, these firebenders possessed a strange and sad kind of detachment which enabled them to set their emotions aside to focus on a fight.

Zuko and Melisande got into the opening stance, with one foot in front of the other, distributing their weight evenly, and with their hands raised, fingers close together.

"I expect nothing less than your best, Zuko," Melisande said, "I won't go easy on you, so don't hold back."

Zuko merely nodded, his brow knotted in concentration. The Agni Kai had officially begun.

Katara watched with equal concentration, anxious for both fighters and unable to feel any comfort in the fact that this was not a fight to the death. Because even just in appearances, it seemed just that.

The first few moments were filled with a fierce tension. Their stances were solid and their concentration was total and unflinching. Each firebender seemed to be assessing the others' strengths and weaknesses. Each was deciding whether or not to land the first blow.

Katara's brow began to sweat and she pursed her lips as she watched in horrid suspense. Neither bender seemed to be moving. Finally, with an almost unseen flick of a finger, Melisande threw a series of small fire darts towards her nephew.

Zuko dodged them easily but Melisande never meant for them to hit him anyway. Instead, while Zuko was busy evading these small but deadly blows, Melisande took this opportunity to launch herself into the air with astounding agility and to land right behind her nephew, gathering energy to aim a fire blast at him.

Zuko was aware of her movements and quickly parried her blow by pushing her arm aside just in the nick of time. Her fire blast turned to smoke as aunt and nephew engaged in fierce hand to hand combat, exchanging small fire blasts and parrying the others.

Although Zuko's brow was knotted in concentration during this exchange, Melisande aimed blows and blocked attacks with almost effortless ease. However, taking advantage of a momentary lapse in her attacks, Zuko aimed a strong kick of fire towards her.

Melisande was unaffected by his blow and quickly extinguished it with her own flame but it gave Zuko the opportunity to increase the distance between them and to gather more energy. She smiled at the feint but did not make any attempt to close the distance. Instead, she threw a small but rapid fireball towards him which ate up the small arrows of fire he had launched against her.

And in a flash, Melisande had used her amazing agility to get to move to his right side and to aim fire darts at him. Zuko quickly managed to counter this attack but not before she had gone behind him and he had to react just as sharply to her small attacks.

Her movement was so fast that despite his sharp instincts, he could only hear the sand shifting around him and could only maintain his solid stance so as not to lose balance in the unstable ground. For once, he cursed having his scar because it hampered his peripheral vision and he was unable to aim his shots directly at Melisande without giving her time to avoid them.

Katara was getting worried. With the rapid progression of the match, she was unsure of who was getting the upper hand. All she could see now was the swirling sandstorm which was Melisande quickly circling Zuko and Zuko trying desperately to land a blow on his speedy aunt. As much as she wished to interfere, Katara knew that it was not in her place to do so and that Zuko would never appreciate the help. So she could do nothing but watch.

Melisande's strategy of confusing and tiring Zuko out with her speed and constant movement seemed to be working. Zuko knew that he would have to get out of the little sandstorm if he wanted to move forward in the fight. Hoping to create a momentary distraction, he launched a large volley of flames all around him, creating a sort of ring of fire which Melisande's darts could not penetrate.

While within this defensive formation, Zuko gathered all his strength. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath and summoned all the energy within him, feeling the flames emerging from his inner fire and the blazing rays of the sun empowering him. Opening his eyes suddenly, his body pulsating with energy, he bent down and launched himself in the air, higher than the sand Melisande was shifting. While in mid-air, he kicked several flames from his feet towards his quick-moving aunt. With a feat of unparalleled athletics (which caused Katara to gasp in admiration from her perch), he twisted and landed on his feet, away from his aunt's deadly sand prison.

Momentarily distracted, Melisande had only an instant to recover herself before being lost in her own sand storm. She faced her nephew with a renewed stance, her face expressing her determination despite a minor pitfall.

"Very impressive," she muttered, as she parried a series of well-aimed fire darts launched by her nephew. Conserving her energy, she gave a single fiery kick which engulfed all of Zuko's small blasts and controlling this larger flame with her quivering fingers she pushed it forward towards Zuko.

He dissolved the ball of flame by parting it with his hands and made use of the remnants to create fire daggers similar to those he used against his sister when she first betrayed him in the Earth Kingdom. Using the same attack of trying to "stab" his aunt with the fire blades, Zuko realized the weakness of that strategy and instead made the daggers elongate into two menacing fire whips.

Melisande looked with interest and mirrored his attack by creating fire whips of her own. Then, followed an epic exchange of fire whip lashes with each firebender jumping or running quickly to avoid the other's attack while finding enough momentum to launch one of his or her own.

Katara watched eagerly and with more interest since whips were being used and she was not ignorant of certain effective techniques. However, unlike the water whips she could manipulate, the fire whips had to come from the bender's own energy and it was therefore harder to sustain this kind of attack. The more she observed the duel, the more Katara began to appreciate the differences between firebending and waterbending.

Whereas a waterbender was helpless without the presence of his or her element in the immediate vicinity, a firebender always had access to his or hers because their power came from within them. However, it was also difficult to keep their elements at their most powerful if the firebender did not have enough energy.

Firebenders also must have amazing physical abilities like superhuman strength, agility, and astounding physical coordination because the slightest contact with their element could be fatal. But what surprised Katara the most was that, contrary to her previous perceptions of firebending, firebenders must possess a great amount of self-control, and calm in order to keep their element in check. Whereas air, water, or earth would not go against their benders, fire would. If a firebender did not have the proper disposition and state of mind for a fight, his or her emotions might intensify his or her fire to the point that it would burn its wielder.

Watching the Agni Kai made Katara realize that there was a lot more to firebending than destruction and pain. The art required precision, control, calm, coordination, and balance. But while she was able to appreciate the subtler aspects of firebending, she never stopped being worried about the two benders exchanging flames.

After the fire whip sequence, Zuko had tried becoming more resourceful by aiming small but sure fire darts at rock formations near Melisande, causing them to explode and to distract her. Taking advantage of his youth and strength, he was able to match her speed and began causing minor explosions in the sand to block her view of him and for several moments she was unable to land any fire blast on her nephew. But quite soon, she got wind of his strategy and mimicked it. However, she knew better ways of countering a sandstorm.

Taking a deep breath, the female firebender blew flames into the exploding rocks and dissolved Zuko's fire blasts. Once again, she leapt upwards, emitting her breath of fire at her nephew. When she landed, she charged at him with her amazing speed. Zuko had become more attuned to this attack and charged at her. But just before they were to make contact, with Melisande's hands raised in flame, Zuko slowed down and instead aimed a kick of fire forward and then he quickly sidestepped to avoid the impact.

Although affected by this blow, Melisande swiftly recovered, and was now resuming her attacks with series of darts making Zuko retaliate with similar attacks and not have time to think of new strategies. He was able to kick some flames at his aunt to distract her until he was closer to his opponent and they engaged in an elaborate dance of firebending, using complicated movements to attack and defend themselves.

The waves crashed against the shore and the winds began to roar but the duel continued with the fighters ignoring the climactic conditions. Sunset was coming soon and Katara was getting more and more concerned about the two. However, she knew that she could do nothing but wait for the fight to be decided. But by the looks of things, the fight was reaching a stalemate.

Zuko realized that whatever kind of attack he could throw against his aunt was easily countered because of her extensive experience and training as well as her inherent power. She was already knowledgeable on traditional stances and attacks and she was also aware of some of his new strategies because either she had taught them to him or he had already shown them to her during training. It was becoming increasingly difficult to match her speed and accuracy, as well.

Another obstacle Zuko encountered was Melisande's being a prodigy. Her great skills also made her an extremely fast learner. Whatever new technique he used was easily mimicked and then countered by her. It was getting harder and harder to land a blow on her. It was also pointless to try and tire her out. For this weakness, Zuko had no one to blame but himself. If he had not insisted on furiously training and drilling for the past few hours, he would have had some reserve strength. Unfortunately for him, he was losing energy and losing advantage.

He was panting greatly after blocking a particularly powerful series of explosions. His aunt also seemed out of breath and while she paused to catch it, Zuko racked his brain for a winning strategy. His golden pupils darted here and there, trying to assess the surroundings, to check for possible weapons, geographical advantages, anything that would give him the upper hand. And then his gaze rested on Katara's apprehensive figure.

Then, it hit him. Of course! The waterbending techniques! His aunt may be the expert of all the different schools of firebending but she was not trained in firebending using the waterbender's movements. Not to mention he had some experience with earhtbenders and an airbender and so was able to pick up a few moves from them, as well. And although she might be able to imitate them, she wouldn't have the time to adequately integrate them if he launched a rapid succession of unfamiliar attacks. Steadying his stance, and narrowing his eyes in concentration, Zuko smirked.

Taking a deep breath, Zuko summoned all the energy he had and prepared for his attack. Melisande had regained composure and energy and now was raising her leg to aim a kick of fire towards him. Instead of blocking this attack, Zuko merely evaded it, surprising Melisande.

He had used this opportunity to move closer to his aunt. He then created some small fire clasps which he threw at her feet, pinning them down just like how the Dai Li agents pinned him down in Ba Sing Se. Although the flames didn't lick at her skin, Melisande did not dare move her feet right away and risk burning herself. She created flames to engulf the small clasps and turned back to her nephew, flames ready in her hands.

But Zuko had already used the time to create a ring of large fire tentacles around him. He raised his arms and with his fingers, manipulated each fire tentacle to block all of his aunt's attacks.

Katara was astonished and proud. He was using the water octopus technique she had showed him only hours before. _He sure is a fast learner, _she thought. And he seems to have finally caught his aunt off guard.

Melisande did not let her surprise get the better of her. Instead she charged at him with flames from her legs, propelling her forward to destroy the fire octopus. Zuko knew that strategy and was too fast for her. To launch himself out of the octopus, he created a fireball and pushed it below him, to propel himself upward (like he had often seen the Avatar do). This left Melisande to confront the remaining flames of the "octopus" and while she was doing so Zuko was able to move swiftly behind her. While still in the center of the dwindling octopus, Zuko once again used a waterbending move he remembered Katara using on him in the North Pole. With wide movements of his arms, he encased his aunt in a large fireball (like the iceberg Katara had trapped him in) and blocked all her exits. The spectacle was glorious.

And though Melisande was able to bend the flames to create an exit portal, Zuko surprised her with a small but direct fire blast which caused her to quickly bend backward to avoid it. But it was done in such close contact that she lost her balance and fell on her back with a thud.

Then, as she raised her head, her eyes met an exhausted but triumphant Zuko. He was panting heavily and his arm was quivering but his fingers were steady as a tiny flame was aimed at her heart.

Melisande smiled.

"You've done well, my nephew, now a true firebending master."


	13. Chapter 13

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar. That is that.

AN: Thanks to all those who reviewed the last chapter (especially the anonymous reviewer, sorry I can't really reply to you personally but I appreciate your reviews). I really appreciate all your positive feedback.

This is a dialogue-heavy chapter, just a warning. Another difficult chapter to write because of my ambition to create an atmosphere of furious emotional intensity. This chapter has been in head for so long and is crucial to the story, almost even more so than the Agni Kai. Writing it was an intense experience but I realize there may be some flaws. Criticism is more than welcome.

And sorry if Katara and Zuko are getting a little fluffy. Please let me know if it gets annoying, so I can tone it down. Thanks. Forward.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The first drops of the rain began to fall, and the sky was tinged with a reddish glow as the sun began its descent into the horizon. A low rumble of thunder became audible as large masses of nimbus clouds made their approach.

Zuko extinguished his fire and helped his aunt get up. As the older firebender glanced in the direction of the storm clouds, a shadow falling upon her noble features, the younger one turned around to see an excited waterbender running towards him. Katara could not contain her relief and joy at the end of the stressful fire duel. She felt so exhilarated at the results that she paid no attention to the rain that was beginning to drench her and the chilly draught the wind was bringing.

Zuko, on the other hand, was surprised by Katara's reaction and was even more shocked when she, unable to suppress the urge, threw her arms around him in a congratulatory embrace. The impact of the gesture threw him off balance and they both landed on the beach, sending a big amount of sand into the air.

This little outburst shook Melisande out of her reverie and she stared for a moment at the strange pair. Katara, realizing the awkwardness of her position, had hastily withdrawn her arms while Zuko was still staring speechlessly at her. They both looked away with embarrassment.

Melisande smiled knowingly.

"I think it would be wise," the lady advised, "to defer your raptures until we reach the house. You don't want to get caught in the rain. It might make our whole duel a waste of energy."

The two younger benders nodded and subsequently, all three inhabitants of the island had climbed up to the wooden house.

Once there, they proceeded to dry themselves. Getting over her initial hesitation, Katara resumed expressing her joy at Zuko's success, although this time she confined her gestures to a fervent shaking of his hand.

"You were amazing out there," Katara gushed, "and I never thought I'd see the water octopus technique used so effectively with another element. And it's so great that you learned it so fast. And the Dai Li techniques! Those were really unexpected!"

As Katara continued to enumerate and praise the techniques Zuko used in the fight, he responded humbly by muttering his thanks and wearing a grateful smile. The more Katara talked about his skills, the more Melisande thought highly of her nephew. The lady had known that Zuko had used some new techniques learned from the waterbenders but what she had not realized was the extent of Zuko's experience with benders of the other three elements.

"I must say," the proud aunt said confidently, "you have truly exceeded expectations, Zuko. And it seems that I cannot even claim the full credit for your tremendous improvement in the past few weeks. Why did you not tell me that you had another teacher? You have been very sly with me, indeed."

"Well," Katara stammered in reply, "I wasn't really teaching him anything. I was just showing him some techniques."

"Which he used to his advantage," Melisande continued, "I'm glad that you seriously apply every bit of new knowledge you acquire, Zuko. After all, a wise man once told me that you must find other sources of wisdom for it to be whole and fresh."

Zuko and Katara looked at each other at this statement.

"It was Uncle Iroh, wasn't it?" Zuko replied, with a smile.

Melisande blinked. "So he doesn't change his speeches, after all," she said with a laugh. The duchess walked towards a window and looked out. Sunset was still in progress while the rain was beginning to pour harder. The rumbles of thunder had grown louder and the only source of light was the red glow of the setting sun. Melisande frowned and sighed.

_I had hoped that we would not have to come to this, _she thought ruefully, _but it seems that I cannot alter the inevitable._

The arrival of the storm seemed to shatter the celebratory air of the trio. Feeling an extreme need to get in contact with her element, Katara excused herself.

"I think I need to feel the rejuvenation of the rain while it still isn't dangerous," she announced, "it's been a long day."

"Don't stay out too long," Melisande warned darkly, "waterbending master or no, this storm will be merciless."

Both Katara and Zuko looked warily at the suddenly melancholy woman. A shadow seemed to settle on Melisande's aura and they were not sure what brought it about. Nevertheless, Katara nodded, took one last glance at the nephew and aunt, before going outside the house, bending a shield of water around her. She sensed some danger but did not understand it. Therefore, she was unaware of how to placate or prevent it. She sighed and sought the comfort of her element.

Zuko watched her go and remained silent.

A menacing chill had settled over the room. Melisande's figure seemed to shiver slightly, Zuko observed. He believed that losing the match had been quite a blow to her pride although she didn't want to show it. Perhaps she was struggling to keep a sportsmanlike demeanor when inside she was punishing herself.

Zuko sighed. It was understandable and he wished there was something he could do to assuage his aunt's wounded ego, but he knew that there was nothing. And he didn't think she would have appreciated it if he had not tried his best in the Agni Kai. That would have been an insult. So he merely sighed and hoped that this emotional impasse would soon be over.

While Melisande was really struggling to fight a higher internal urge, it was not the injury of her pride. It was something much more sinister and yet unconquerable. She gritted her teeth and clenched a fist.

Still with her back to him and facing the window, Melisande said, "You have proven yourself ready to face your destiny, Zuko. It is time for you to choose to go against the Fire Lord in this war."

Zuko bowed his head and pondered her words.

"It seems cruel," he said, "that I am destined to betray my own father."

Melisande turned to him with a sympathetic but apprehensive look in her eyes. She sighed and said, "I understand that it must be a difficult decision but…"

But the shadow had settled on Zuko as well.

"No, you don't understand," he replied coldly, a darkness filling his aura. He was now looking at his aunt with a menacing frown.

Upon seeing his reaction, Melisande closed her eyes in sad resignation. She had seen this coming and only regretted being unable to prevent it. Now, all she could do was let this curse run its course. Once again, she opened her golden eyes, now flashing fire but glazed with a smoky hue.

"What don't I understand?" she retorted, "Being banished for many years, away from the home and the people I love? Being punished and humiliated unjustly for standing up for the right thing? Watching everything familiar crash down around me when I realized how great a lie my whole life was? Disillusionment? Indignation? Suffering? Pain? I've endured just as much as you. So what don't I understand?!"

Although quite taken aback by her reply, Zuko still countered, "No, you haven't, aunt. You're just like Azula, born perfect, a firebending prodigy, everyone praising and admiring you no matter what you did. You never had to struggle to gain anyone's approval. You've never been called a disgrace, a humiliation, a dishonor."

Melisande's eyes were now ablaze, her fury unrestrained. "If you think that, then you are more ignorant than I thought. Did you really think that being a firebending prodigy made my life perfect? It gave me no end of troubles. And it only made me a pawn in the hands of men who wished to advance themselves in the world!"

"Then you are the coward I thought you to be!" retaliated an angry Zuko, "if you're so great, why did you allow people to manipulate you? So much for your firebending prowess! You didn't even resist your captors when they sent you here! And you languished here for eight years because you were too cowardly to fight back!"

"How dare you speak to me that way! Well, let me tell you that I don't need to explain myself to some impulsive, blind, pathetic, brooding brat who has always been envious of his sister!"

Zuko growled, enraged and his eyes were on fire as well. "Well, look who's talking," he replied acidly, "you've always been jealous of Mom because Dad chose her over you!"

At this Melisande's eyes widened in angry incredulity. Zuko smirked with uncharacteristic cruelty.

"Apparently, you never thought your _ignorant _nephew would find out about your sordid past, did you, aunt? Well, I know all about it. People at court talked and I listened. I know how you and Dad trained under the same firebending master, how you bested all your comrades and tried in vain to impress Dad with your skills. I know how, in the end, the greatly admired, popular, powerful, and talented Melisande had lost to her timid, shy sister in the only endeavor that really mattered – winning my father's love! Isn't it just ironic? Having all that power and yet being unable to gain what your heart truly desires!"

Melisande was trembling in silent indignation, willing herself to stay as calm as she could in the light of such bitter and yet true accusations. She bit her lip and tried to fight the hot tears from flowing from her eyes but she couldn't. She clenched her fists and bowed her head as she shook with emotion. Zuko was standing a few steps away from her, a stranger, and a harsh judge.

His eyes were cruel and ruthless. And try as she might, Melisande couldn't stop herself from hating that unfamiliar figure in front of her. She understood that the storm had brought about this negative wave of energy which made the bitterest memories emerge from their unconsciousness but she also knew that both of them were powerless to fight against it.

Zuko sneered at his aunt's silence. He gave her a look of coldhearted triumph.

"So you see, _aunt," _he said, pronouncing the last word with disdain, "I am not as ignorant as you suppose. In fact I know so much more about you than you do about me. All I've ever wanted was my father's love and recognition, and I will prove that I deserve it."

"Ozai loves no one but himself," Melisande retorted bitterly.

"You only say that because you were denied that privilege. But I am his son, Ozai and Ursa's son, and he is my father."

"He will never see you as more than just a pawn in his grand plan for worldwide domination. And can't you understand that it has been your uncle Iroh, the rightful heir to the throne, who has been like a real father to you all these years!"

"You're just jealous because you are nothing to him. You could have been his wife, you could have been my mother, and the Fire Lady. But you are not. Instead, you are a bitter, old widow wasting away in isolation and discontent because of your unyielding pride and arrogance."

"You're a fool," Melisande muttered with suppressed rage, "you've blinded yourself with such idyllic illusions because you are too cowardly to face the truth: your father will never love you. And you must betray him!"

"I will not succumb to the demands of a resentful old crone who is ruing her loss in an Agni Kai with her young and un- prodigious nephew! I know that you are just being a sore loser. A disgrace and a traitor to her country!"

At this Melisande turned a diabolical gaze towards her nephew, her normally beautiful features distorted by her rage, sorrow, and the negative wave of energy which was manifesting itself.

"Do you want to know whose betrayal your mother wanted to prevent by bringing you here?" she cried with venom, "Would you like to know the name and nature of such a colossal act of treachery that it would have meant the near-demise of the Avatar and the downfall of the Earth Kingdom? An act of such self-serving cruelty that would have led to your uncle Iroh's imprisonment? Do you want to know who it was who was destined to ruin everything?"

It was Zuko's turn to be silent, as his aunt continued in her irate tirade against the nameless traitor, her voice rising to an almost demonic pitch. He took small steps backward as his aunt's dark figure stalked towards him, her eyes illuminated by an evil, unearthly glow.

"You're awfully quiet, nephew, so I'll take that as a 'yes'," she continued, her expression growing crazed, "let me tell you his name. The traitor who would have wrought so much havoc in Ba Sing Se would have been none other than you, _Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation." _She practically spat his name sarcastically.

"Why so silent, nephew? Can't accept the hard, painful truth? So much for your fortitude and endurance!"

The young man's eyes widened in disbelief. His jaw dropped and he was violently shaking his head in denial. He took a few steps backward, still in shock.

"You're lying! You're lying!" he yelled, "I would never do that!"

"Why would I lie?" his aunt continued mercilessly, the darkness filling her eyes, "Your mother did everything in her power to lead you towards the right path. And how do you repay her love and sacrifice? By relentlessly pursuing the Avatar and seeking to destroy the only hope for peace. You are nothing but a pathetic ingrate!"

Zuko clutched his head, his mind racing, his heart pounding in confusion and rage. Seeing his discomfort, and still being possessed by that unfathomable evil, Melisande began to cackle maniacally.

"Yes, yes, facing the ugliest part of you: your true nature, that of an ingrate and a traitor. You can't handle it. You're weak, pathetic, a poor excuse for any kind of person!"

She cackled once more, enraging her nephew. His trembling figure now neared her and his eyes held the shadow in their centers.

"You're trying to trick me," he growled back, "you're trying to manipulate me to believe that I could have been the cause of the Avatar's downfall. Well, you won't succeed, you vile hag, because I know that all you want to do is get out of here. You're trying to trap me on this accursed island so that you might escape on your own! But you're mad if you think I'd fall for any of that!"

Melisande smiled. "What an overactive imagination you have," she replied scornfully, "but as the circumstances are, I don't need to lie to you. You are a born traitor and forever will be one! An ungrateful nephew to your uncle Iroh who has, from the very beginning, treated you with the love of a father. But all you've ever brought him is grief and misery, with your obsessing over the Avatar and your blunt refusal to show him the respect and love he has shown you!"

"You're wrong," Zuko retorted, slightly taken aback by his aunt's bitterly true accusations, "you're wrong, you're wrong. I've always appreciated Uncle Iroh's concern for me and I've been trying to reciprocate his attentions in the best way that I could!"

"By deliberately ignoring his advice and counsel."

Zuko gave a look of incredulity.

"You cannot deny it," Melisande continued with sadistic glee, "that you resorted to thievery and crime to satisfy your needs during your time as fugitives, that you intentionally went against his wishes by going out to find the Avatar's bison in Lake Laogai, and that you even left him behind for the ridiculous excuse of 'having no more reason to travel together'. Your uncle has endured all of your disobedience and delinquency with admirable fortitude. But how do you repay his kindness? By constantly arguing with him about your destiny when all he has ever done was to help you!"

Although sorely tempted to retort to this, Zuko found another fault to criticize in his crazed aunt. But seeing as he was also possessed by the malevolent force, his judgment was greatly clouded.

"Again, I'm curious, aunt," he began with suspicion, "of exactly how much you know about the outside world. I'm surprised that you are so updated on my every action, almost as if you were there when these events happened. Everyone thinks that you're cut off from the world in your exile here but you have proven it otherwise. I wonder why. Maybe this whole banishment thing is just one big front. With your information, I'd say that you're actually a spy! How I could have allowed myself to trust such a secretive and vindictive person I don't know!"

"Say and think whatever you want," she snapped back, "but I am no traitor and certainly not a spy! You would never understand. I just have my ways of knowing things!"

"Knowing much but doing nothing," he replied, "you would continue to watch the war unfold like a useless spectator."

"And how exactly can you justify your actions, Zuko," Melisande charged, "you who live in the thick of everything, and yet who fail to act on the impulses of a sound moral center."

And thus they persisted, hurling insult upon insult, adding injury upon injury, and allowing the eerie, evil force to take over them as the storm progressed. Old wounds were reopened while fresh ones were made and every hidden thought, suspicion, accusation, and grudge was laid bare in that tense darkness of both sky and soul.

"And what about your precious little waterbender? Did you think that she would not feel the effects of your treachery as well?" Melisande suggested with a sly and sinister stare.

"Don't drag her into this," Zuko snapped back, "it has nothing to do with her!"

"Do you really think so?" taunted Melisande, "when she is the person the Avatar holds most dear. How could she not be involved?"

"We were on opposite sides, battles and confrontations were inevitable."

"But that was in the past, right? You've both come to settle those differences here. But did you ever wonder what you would have done had you escaped the crystal catacombs on your own?"

"It is useless to dwell on something that will not happen."

"That's because you are afraid to face the truth, to face the hard and cruel facts that your mother knew all along. You would have betrayed Katara's trust as well. So maybe she was right, after all, you are a terrible person."

Now, both firebenders paused to catch their breath after a lengthy exchange of insults. Their eyes were still glazed with the malicious glint of the unnamed evil but Zuko's head was bowed in silent rage so Melisande could not see the darkness that festered in his golden pupils.

Then, slowly, and dangerously, he raised his head and uttered, in a deep voice that was not his own.

"I've had enough of this, you cursed, evil witch," he cried, advancing towards Melisande. The lady looked incredulously as he raised his hand to strike her.

Melisande's eyes narrowed and with expert precision and speed, blocked his blow. There they stood, she trying to keep his hand from hitting her while he struggled to get out of her iron grip.

"You would strike me, you insolent boy," Melisande screamed, still trying to keep him from hitting her, her eyes narrowed in unadulterated loathing, "how dare you!"

"Finally," Zuko said triumphantly, his golden eyes boring into hers as she continued to push his hand away with some difficulty, "your true nature reveals itself, _aunt_. You never cared for me and always looked at me with hatred and jealousy because I was not good enough. You thought, you believed that you might have given my father a better, more powerful son. But you couldn't have, could you? Because you are unable to bear children, the most important function of a wife, and you failed at it. Now, that is really pathetic. You have to face the fact that none of your schemes have worked and what ever treacherous, self-serving motives and plans you have for keeping me here, you will not succeed. I will make sure of it, you monster. And then you will remain a prisoner here, forever, all alone."

And in a painful instant, and an incredible show of strength, Melisande pushed her nephew away from her and with a roar of hellish wrath, she silenced him.

A blinding flash. Searing heat. The smell of burnt flesh once again. A nightmare relived.

The curse was broken, but both paid a heavy price.

The darkness banished from their faces, they stood in silent incredulity and horror. Tears flowed freely on both faces and Melisande had her two hands covering her mouth, trying to comprehend the gravity of her action. Then, after taking a few, hesitant steps backward, Zuko turned and ran out the door.

"Zuko, wait!" she cried, her hand reaching out, but he had already fled.

A flash of red. Excruciating pain once again filled her as she realized that the last rays of sunlight had been engulfed by the night.

She collapsed into a heap of pain and tears, the deep wound's purplish welts spreading rapidly from her fingertips to her shoulder, clouding her brain, and causing tormented screams.

As she writhed and squirmed in utter agony, a flood of blood, sweat, and tears drenching her face, her eyes squeezed shut in misery, she whispered a mournful cry, an unheard plea.

"Zuko, Ursa," her words were barely audible over the noise of the storm, "forgive me, forgive me. I have failed you."


	14. Chapter 14

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar. That is that.

AN: Here's the next chapter as promised. Having seen the amazing trailer for the series finale from the NYCC, I feel especially inspired but also apprehensive. I understand that the events of the series are of much greater interest to fans than the events of any fan fiction story. I have the entire story planned out until the end but I with my schedule I won't be able to finish it until about June (although I will make sure to end it before the Avatar finale). Considering all these circumstances, I would completely understand if your interest wanes or is lost completely with the new updates in canon. I am still very grateful for your support and I hope that you continue to support "Avatar" as well. 

Oh, and by the way, that ambiguous screenshot in the trailer of the woman who may be either an angry Ursa or Azula with longer hair is EXACTLY how I envisioned Melisande.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Despite the torrential rains and the fierce coldness of the wind, Katara felt right at home by the beach, with the waves crashing powerfully against the shore and at her feet. She breathed in deeply, standing with her hands outstretched, bending the rain away from her and creating a sort of calm oasis in the midst of the storm.

Again, she remembered the unfathomable sense of dread that had chilled her when she had stood in the midst of Zuko and Melisande after their Agni Kai. Something eerie had been afoot but she was unable to explain it. Her first impulse had been to flee but she hesitated because of the regard she had come to have for the two firebenders. She had been worried about them and about what may happen, whatever it was. But at the same time, the sudden entry of negative energy had weakened her and she had felt suffocated in that room. While Melisande and Zuko were silent and motionless, Katara felt herself being slowly snuffed out by an unseen force. And seeing the comfort of the rain, her element in abundance, she had jumped at the opportunity of leaving.

Surprisingly, the other two had let her go without putting up much protest. Perhaps they were both too exhausted from their fight to argue, she wasn't sure. But being unable to stand the stifling air of the room any longer, she left. And now, here she was, reveling in the free flow of water all around her and never feeling more alive. It was not the full moon but she felt her powers rise within her and as she took deep breaths, she could almost feel the flow of her chi like blood in her veins.

But she was still worried. She had not understood what she felt in that room scarcely an hour before but whatever it was, it was bound to be unpleasant. Her hunches on this sort of thing were almost always right.

She sighed, reluctant to leave her place of absolute tranquility and power but she knew that she would never be at ease until she found out what had transpired. She lowered her arms and only bent enough water to create a protective shield over her head as she walked down the beach and towards the house. The storm was becoming more dangerous, anyway.

And then, amid the loud noises of the storm, the howling wind, the pouring rain, a scream pierced the sky. Katara was all of a sudden alert, going into a battle stance, with her blue eyes scanning the surroundings to search for the source of that sound. Upon hearing it, her heart had beaten faster and she was filled with the same dread she had felt but to a higher degree. Her heart pounded and the fear and worry she felt made it difficult to focus. It had sounded like the wail of a wounded animal. And yet she knew no creature on the island that would make such a sound.

While looking furtively around, she sensed movement coming from the wooden steps that lead to the house. As she turned quickly to face that direction, she was just able to make out a shadowy figure moving quickly to one side of the beach.

Keeping the figure in sight, Katara quickly made her way to it, trying to make out who it might be. As she neared, she noticed that the figure was shaking in either sorrow or rage or both and seemed to be in much pain. But just when she was about to see who it was, the stranger sensed her arrival and swiftly sprinted across the shore.

"Wait!" she cried, stretching out her hand and following the figure who only seemed to move faster after hearing her voice. Katara cursed under her breath and continued her pursuit. The figure was now beginning to look familiar and considering that she had scoured the island many times before and ascertained that there were no other inhabitants, she was certain that she was chasing after Zuko.

And thus, they ran around the perimeter of the small island, Katara crying out, asking Zuko to stop but he paid no attention to her. Finally, when he had to pause to catch his breath, he faced her, his chest heaving and his face grave.

Katara was so shocked to see him that way that she had to take a few steps backward. For Zuko looked so different from the proud and noble figure she had always known. His face wore the expression of a hunted animal, cornered by a predator. He was clutching the left side of his face fiercely, covering his scar. And despite the rain, Katara could see that his face was tearstained and that he had not stopped weeping.

"Zuko?" she whispered incredulously, her eyes widening in fear and concern. Never had she seen him looking so scared or helpless. She took a few careful steps towards him. He backed away.

"Stay away from me!" he cried, motioning with his free arm to keep her at a distance. She did not step forward but she remained facing him.

"What's wrong?" she asked with concern, "what happened?"

He continued backing away, his face contorting with more pain and agony.

"Just leave me alone!" he cried with finality before running away again.

"Zuko!" Katara shouted, as she continued chasing him, "what's going on? Let me help you!" But he was deaf to her pleas and continued running, faster and faster, farther and farther away from her.

Losing her breath after so much running, Katara stopped for a while, leaning on her knees and panting. She could see that he too had stopped ahead of her and was resting. Remembering all the physical exertion he had for that day, Katara was surprised that he was still able to sustain such a strenuous activity.

"Please stop this, Zuko!" she cried, hoping he would hear her, "you have to let me help you!"

"This doesn't concern you," Zuko replied in a stern and yet helpless manner. "Leave me be!" And with this, he resumed his flight.

Katara was unfazed. She was determined to get to the bottom of this. She sighed but convinced herself that certain measures were necessary.

Exactly as she had predicted, Zuko had already lost a lot of energy and was unable to continue running away as quickly. He was panting heavily and could barely stand and seemed to be stumbling away but he did not stop.

Katara took a deep breath and concentrated on her element. With a swift and fluid movement, she conjured a long and slender water whip from the sea water nearby and threw it at Zuko. But instead of attacking him, her whip latched itself around his right foot, after which she pulled it back, causing the poor firebender to stumble into the sand.

His surprise at his fall gave Katara enough time to reach him and by the time he had fully realized what happened, she was at his side. Somehow, he had still managed to cover his face with one hand and upon seeing her; he backed away, pushing himself with the other hand.

"Why are you doing this?" Katara pleaded, "I want to help you."

"No one can help me," he replied in a bitterly forlorn voice, "no one should help me."

"What are you saying?" she cried, unsettled but determined, "what happened to you? Where is your aunt? Please, I have to know."

But all the while she was asking him these questions; he was shaking his head vigorously, with his eyes shut, as if banishing some unpleasant thoughts from his mind.

"Zuko?" Katara implored, hating to be left in suspense and yet afraid of what she might hear.

The firebender continued to shake his head wearily and in despair.

"You were right, after all," he stated coldly, "I am a terrible person."

This answer threw Katara into a state of utter and agonizing remorse. She had thought, she had hoped, that all that was behind them now and that they had somehow reconciled their differences. Apparently, there still were a few unresolved issues.

"Listen," she comforted and apologized, "I wasn't thinking clearly when I said that. I didn't really mean it. I was blinded by my anger, it's wrong, I know, but none of what I told you is true. I know that now. You're a good person, Zuko. Please forgive me for ever doubting it."

"No," he replied, adamant in his contradiction, and yet still in a remorseful and sad tone, "I haven't changed at all. I've done a very terrible thing, committed an unforgivable crime. And now, I am being punished for it. But this time, the penalty is just. I deserve this, for all the cruel things I said, and for the act that I dared to commit."

"I don't understand," Katara cried, "what are you talking of? What happened? Are you hurt? Did you and your aunt quarrel over something? Please, Zuko, you have to trust me!" With this she reached out her hand towards where he was covering his face.

Zuko immediately backed away.

"Don't come near me!" he screamed, his eyes widening in a strange and mad way, "I'm a monster! Stay away from me!"

Katara was in tears now and was desperately trying to reach out to him. She closed her eyes tightly, spilling tears all over her already rain-soaked face and she looked at the strange, scared person with almost as much despair.

"Don't say that!" she replied loudly, "don't say that. It isn't true and you must never, ever think it. Why? What happened? Why won't you let me help you?"

"Because I don't deserve your help," he stated coolly, "and whatever happened to me tonight is something I really deserved. The damage is done. There's nothing you can do."

Gaping incredulously at him, Katara realized that something terrible indeed had happened in the room she left behind. And perhaps there was nothing she could do about it. But then again, Katara was never the type to turn her back on people who needed her, whether they realized it or not.

She knelt down on the sand and was now level with him. She crept towards him, slowly and carefully, so as not to startle him. She raised her hand to where he covered his face. He was looking at her incredulously now but was not making any move to go away. His left hand was shaking and she could see some blood stains on it. She rested her hand gently on his.

"I know you think I can't help you," she said softly, "but please don't stop me from trying."

He winced. "I don't want you to see me this way," he whispered, "it's too ugly, too monstrous, too hateful."

Katara blinked back more tears and looked back at him with sympathy.

"Please," she begged earnestly, her eyes betraying her powerful emotions. Zuko looked sadly at her but nodded, ever so slightly. He allowed her to remove his shaking palm from his face.

When she saw the wound, Katara could not help but gasp in horror. This was exactly the reaction Zuko was expecting and he gave her a hard look.

"I'm sorry you had to see this," he said coldly, returning his hand to his face, "I didn't ask for your pity."

"No," she said, taking his hand away again, "I want to help you and I will."

He looked at her incredulously but he did not protest.

With her fingertips, she deftly summoned some rain drops and formed a water patch on the burned skin. The waterbending master focused on her task of healing, and reserved all her questions for whenever Zuko would be ready to tell her.

The wounded firebender was still and silent as Katara exercised her powers, making the water on his face glow and cover all the damaged parts. She was holding one palm on his face, just like she had done earlier that day, and she used her other hand to steady herself. Zuko gave one earnest glance at his former enemy, who was now healing an injury he had thought could never be healed. With the cool and curative touch of the water on his face, he felt himself relax somewhat and he gave a deep sigh, as he closed his eyes and resigned himself to Katara's treatment. It wasn't as hard as he thought and never before had he felt such peace.

Seeing him trust her completely gave Katara not only a sense of relief but of immense gratitude. It was true that so many people had found it easy to trust her and to open up to her when they had problems. But when trust was as rarely bestowed as Zuko's, it was indeed precious. And she vowed to take care of it.

It took some time for the healing process to conclude and the stormy atmosphere was hardly ideal but with the peace that had settled on both healer and patient, it was successful. And when Katara had released Zuko's face, not only was his current burn obliterated completely, his old scar had also been healed partially. The skin around his eye had become slightly smoother and the damaged nerves had loosened up enough for him to open his left eye normally. Zuko blinked with both eyes for the first time in three years and the look he gave Katara was of absolute and sincere gratitude.

She smiled feebly at him, the chasing and healing having drained much of her energy, even at such proximity to her element. She put her hand inside her shirt and once again brought out her vial of Spirit Oasis water.

"I've managed to heal your latest burn," she said softly, "but I haven't been able to completely heal your old scar. If you would please give me a few minutes." With trembling hands, she struggled to open the vial. Two strong hands steadied hers.

She looked back at Zuko curiously. He shook his head softly but with a smile.

"Why?" she began to ask but he pressed a finger to her lips.

"You've done more than enough for me already," he explained, "and I don't know how I am ever going to repay you. Maybe you won't admit it but you are tired. And I won't let you do any more for me in the state you are in right now."

She opened her mouth to protest but Zuko gave her a look that made her nod in understanding. She kept the vial.

"Thank you," he said simply. She smiled.

"You're welcome."

Explanations were not needed. Those would come later. For the time being, that was enough.

--

"Aunt Melisande!"

They were surprised to see a shivering, crumpled heap of a person, lying on the floor of the house. As Zuko and Katara neared Melisande's miserable form, she became aware of their presence and moved away, her long, dark hair falling over her face.

"Don't look at me," she cried desperately as she crawled away feebly, "stay away from me."

Katara sighed. More than ever she wanted to know what exactly had transpired in that room while she was gone. Her heart was heavy when she pondered on the strange and painful conflicts these firebenders had within them, the great turmoil in their hearts. Were they denied so much kindness in their lives that they never expected to receive any?

"Aunt Melisande," Zuko said softly as he knelt beside his remorseful aunt, "it's been made all right. Katara has healed me. I forgive you if you forgive me. Don't be afraid."

"W-what?" whispered Melisande in shock and disbelief. Slowly, shakily, she raised her eyes to her nephew's face. At the sight of an undamaged face with only faint traces of a past scar, she burst into a new set of tears. She tried to raise her hands to his face, as if wanting to feel the evidence of healing, but she pulled them back.

"No, no," she muttered, "I must not touch you. Not after what I've done. But I'm thankful that you're all right. Very thankful." She gave an extremely grateful glance at Katara.

Katara however was getting exasperated and worried. She knelt beside Zuko and tried to console his aunt.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, aunt," Zuko said, "we were both at fault. At least only I was punished."

"You don't understand," Melisande muttered, "remember what I told you about trying to firebend in the island close to sunset?"

Zuko's eyes widened in understanding and horror.

"…_the pain of the exertion is unbearable."_

It was then that he saw his aunt's face and her arms, all covered in flat, burn-like welts, a fierce hue of crimson covering her fair skin from her face to her fingertips. Whatever he had suffered was a mere fraction to what she had endured.

Katara gasped. Without hesitation she brought out her vial of oasis water and hastily tried to administer it to Melisande's wounds. And once again, the waterbender was thwarted when a purple-streaked palm rested on hers.

"I thank you for your concern, my dear," Melisande said weakly, "but it is enough for me to see Zuko restored."

Both Katara and Zuko were about to protest when Melisande silenced them.

"There will be time for all that later," she explained, "and I have survived such a predicament before so I'm certain I can survive another one. But we have more pressing concerns."

"What could be more pressing than your injuries?" Katara cried, unable to restrain herself.

"The negative wave of energy the storm has caused us to endure," Melisande continued, "is but the tip of the iceberg. There are still so many things I have to prepare you for and we are running out of time."

"What are talking about, aunt?" Zuko and Katara asked simultaneously.

Melisande smiled weakly and sighed. She shakily stood up and before they could stop her, reached for something in a small cupboard neither Katara nor Zuko had noticed before. Bringing a small, dusty item wrapped in an aged piece of cloth.

"Let's start with this," she said, facing Zuko and unwrapping the item to reveal a rusty Fire Nation crown, "the secret truth about your great grandfather."


	15. Chapter 15

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar. That is that.

AN: I took some of Iroh's lines. I'm also glad that you guys liked the last chapter. Thank you all for your positive feedback. Sadly, there isn't a lot of intensive Zuko-Katara interaction in this chapter. Don't worry, though. There will be much more in Chapter 17.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

"Understanding the struggle between your two great-grandfathers, can help you better understand the battle within yourself. Evil and good are always at war inside you, Zuko. It is your nature, your legacy. But there is a bright side. What happened generations ago can be resolved now…by you. Because of your legacy, you alone can cleanse the sins of our family and the fire nation. Born in you, along with all this strife, is the power to restore _balance_ to the world," Melisande concluded, "at least, that's what your uncle Iroh told me when you were born. I couldn't think of a better way to put it so I just borrowed his words."

Zuko was in complete shock. His jaw dropped and as he leaned back into one of his aunt's wooden chairs, he was unable to say a word for several minutes. His eyes remained wide open and he had one fist clenched. The other hand held the family artifact carefully.

Katara sympathized with him in feeling surprised about his lineage but she also knew that she would never be able to understand the turmoil that was taking place inside him as he absorbed all the new information his aunt had just presented. It was overwhelming for her as well. Everything had happened so fast and her mind was reeling with all the significant events that had come to pass on the island in the past few hours. It seemed too much to bear and this feeling was exacerbated by the extreme physical exhaustion they all felt, especially Zuko.

The waterbender looked towards the lady, who had adamantly refused to be healed. Melisande did not have her usual know-it-all smile but she still had her customary serenity although she sounded extremely tired. She had worn a dark hood to hide her scorched face and she seemed like a completely different person.

The more things Melisande revealed to them, the more Katara thought that the older firebender had many more things hidden behind those enigmatic golden eyes.

And yet Katara seemed incomprehensibly glad that Zuko had some connection to the Avatar. True, it caused such confusion and moral quandary because it was completely opposed to all that he had known. But somehow she felt that his destiny was linked with all of theirs and that he might be as instrumental to the salvation of the world as even Aang. Or at least, something deep inside her really wanted him to join the Avatar's side once they left the island. Somehow she could no longer imagine herself treating him as an enemy after all they had been through despite the short duration of their stay compared with their entire acquaintance. Having had the chance of getting to know him better had greatly and irreversibly challenged every notion of him Katara had ever had. And yet, she knew that it would be a difficult decision for him to make. She only, sincerely, hoped that he would come to the right conclusion soon.

Zuko was now covering his face with both hands clutching at his hair. He leaned his elbows on his knees and he was muttering unintelligibly while shaking his head.

Katara quickly stood to comfort him but she was stopped by a motion from Melisande.

"I'm sure Zuko appreciates your concern," she whispered to the waterbender, "but there are certain truths that we must face alone."

Katara glanced at Zuko before sitting down again. Melisande sighed deeply.

"But I believe that I owe you an explanation of what transpired here earlier this evening," the older firebender began, facing Katara with determined eyes.

Katara looked back at Melisande with surprise. "You don't need to tell me if it is too hard for you," she replied gently, "I'm sure it's not really any of my business."

At this, Zuko looked up from his turmoil and he fixed an earnest gaze at the exhausted waterbender. Seeing his reaction, Melisande smiled.

"I can see that even Zuko agrees with me on this," the aunt explained, "you _deserve _to know what happened. Though you are not technically a member of our family, you have certainly treated both of us more humanely than some of our relatives so I will be completely honest with you."

Zuko snorted lightly at this. Katara felt flattered and touched by the firebenders' trust in her and listened intently (and at some points, with horror and shock) as Melisande recounted the painful duel of words that had occurred when she had left the aunt and nephew to themselves.

At the end of the narration, Katara was just as shocked as Zuko and she leaned back into her chair with her hands covering her mouth as she gasped in shock and sorrow. Zuko had remained silent during the entire account, only occasionally giving her a glance of gratitude.

Melisande sighed with fatigue as she finished and momentarily closed her eyes.

"What is this place?" Katara muttered, unable to stop her tears from flowing down her already tear-stained cheeks.

Zuko looked sadly at her and then turned to his aunt who, feeling obliged to answer the question simply muttered "This is firebenders' hell. And I'm sorry that you were dragged into it. But I am also exceedingly grateful that your presence was able to right some of my wrongs." With the last statement, the lady returned her nephew's earnest gaze.

"I do not blame you for anything, aunt," he replied, "and I certainly don't hate you."

"Hating me would be justified," Melisande said, "but you are a good person and you don't. For that I am thankful. However, it is one thing for you to forgive me and another for me to ever forgive myself."

She gave a sigh that seemed to betray an age that was more than her own and a fatigue that knew no bounds. Zuko laid a hand on hers sympathetically and she squeezed his hand with her burned one. Katara did likewise, placing her hand atop the nephew and aunt's hands and Melisande looked back at the girl gratefully.

"However," Melisande said, having recovered some of her strength, she stood up, towering over them, her dress making a sweeping motion, "I deeply regret to inform you that our ordeal is not over."

"I was afraid you'd say that," Zuko replied, almost unsurprised, placing his palm on his forehead. But his tone was not an angry one and he waited for his aunt to continue explaining.

Katara sighed. "I guess I'd be lying if I said I didn't expect that," she said with a small smile.

Melisande looked back at them with unspoken pride and sadness. "Well," the lady continued, "I'm glad that you have become more open to the idea now. Although Katara, you needn't worry. The next trials are not meant for you."

"But that doesn't mean they won't affect me, does it," Katara replied with apprehension.

"Whether or not you are affected is your own choice," Melisande sighed, "but I personally don't want to involve you. So I came up with a prevention method."

"It is my choice," Katara interrupted with determination, "so with all due respect, I'd like to know what I'd be missing before I choose to miss it."

"I agree with aunt, Katara," Zuko spoke, to the two women's surprise, "you should not have to suffer through any more of these trials, especially since you are absolutely innocent. I am grateful, very grateful, for all that you've done for me and I simply will not allow you to put yourself at risk for my sake again."

Katara opened her mouth to protest and Zuko had a ready answer but Melisande silenced them both with a wave of her hand. They turned to her rather embarrassedly especially since she seemed to beaming at them (or at least smiling with some of her old mischief restored, although not completely).

"Let's settle with this," she said, trying to pacify the two young benders, "Katara asked me what the nature of the next trial will be and I believe I owe her the truth. We will decide what to do with her afterwards."

"Thank you," Katara said. Zuko gave her a slightly worried look before nodding to his aunt.

The former duchess took a deep breath.

"In a few hours, Zuko and I will be taking separate journeys to come to terms with our pasts," she began, "in order to do this, we will both fall into a deep slumber, or state of unconsciousness wherein we will be reliving and facing certain painful memories. However, the nature of our journeys differs because of the disparity of our previous actions. While I am to undergo a rite of atonement for my past sins, Zuko will be experiencing a rite of cleansing, a purgation of all those inhibitory energies which have been causing him so much turmoil for so long."

Zuko and Katara looked at each other before turning back to Melisande. The older firebender sighed again.

"I know, I know," she said, "it all sounds so abstract, so unimaginable, like some sort of spiritual mumbo-jumbo."

"Not really, aunt," Zuko replied, "because recently I suffered from a strange fever despite being completely physically healthy. Uncle Iroh said something about this confinement being a manifestation of the warring energies in my character. He even said that at the end of it, I'd have all the answers I needed."

Katara looked at him curiously. Seeing her questioning look, Zuko added, "It happened after I set the Avatar's sky-bison free under Lake Laogai."

"You set Appa free?" Katara replied incredulously, "but how….oh, never mind. Another time." She smiled at him and he acknowledged this with a small nod.

"You're right," Melisande told him, "you did already go through the preliminary phase of this process. However, I suspect that it has not yet been completed. Otherwise, you would not have had all these doubts about your destiny when you came here and you would not have been affected by the negative wave of energy."

Zuko looked gravely at his aunt as she explained. Katara sighed. She was worried about the firebenders again and this time she didn't know if she would be able to be of any help to them.

"Don't trouble yourself about it," his aunt comforted, "because at the end of it, you will truly be relieved of all those unpleasant things that still continue to haunt you. That is in the power of this strange island. For some unfathomable reason, it pronounces judgment on firebenders and metes out punishments and purgation. But I'm certain, that you will emerge all the better from it."

Zuko nodded. "I hope so," he muttered.

"Will it be a long, drawn out affair?" Katara asked all of a sudden.

"I believe," Melisande replied, "that it won't be too long for Zuko considering the short span of his life so far and the scarcity of his crimes. For him, it will merely be like another fever that will wash away all the guilt and anger. I'm sure it will be very liberating."

"Thank you for that, aunt," Zuko said, "but what about you?"

"Alas," Melisande answered with melancholy, "I fear that it won't go very easily for me. As I've said, mine is to be a rite of atonement. There are certain unpleasant things I have to account for in my past and this will be the time for me to be penalized."

"But you've lived here in exile for eight years!" Zuko protested. Katara voiced a similar opinion.

"You're right," Melisande conceded, "but that doesn't necessarily acquit me of all my crimes. Honestly, I have very few ideas about how my confinement is going to be. All I am certain of is that it will be longer than yours, nephew, and a lot more painful."

"Is there anything I can do to help you?" Katara offered. Melisande smiled at the girl's concern.

"I'm afraid there's simply nothing you can do," the duchess replied, "but thank you very much for your kind thoughts anyway."

A crash of thunder echoed and a flash of lightning pierced the dark sky. The rain had continued to pour. Melisande looked out the window.

"All these dark events have come with this powerful storm," she explained, "and I believe that they are parts of the same whole, the island's mysterious power."

"But how do you know that all of this is going to happen?" Zuko asked.

Melisande smiled. "I understand that it is extremely hard to believe anything I am saying but you must trust me," she answered, "when one has lived on the island for so long, one becomes more receptive to its mystique. Somehow, the island communicates to its captives and I have many times been able to interpret certain signs, in the air, the surroundings, even the patterns of the waves crashing against the shore. It spoke to me in dreams and strange visions during wakefulness. Indeed there are many ways of listening to the island's voice."

She paused and Zuko looked at her skeptically. Katara, on the other hand, did not look very surprised. The Water Tribe had its fair share of supernatural activity. She had even witnessed some of these during Zhao's siege at the North Pole. And with all the other paranormal events she had been involved in during her travels with Aang like the strange visions in the swamp, for instance, she was more inclined to believe in such talk.

"Don't worry, Zuko," Melisande spoke, seeing her nephew's uncertain expression, "I am far from delusional and although you may think that living on my own for so long may have addled my brains, it has not. It's all rather difficult to explain but suffice to say that none of my predictions has ever been wrong so far and I'm not inclined to believe myself wrong this time around."

After a moment's hesitation and deep thought, Zuko nodded. Melisande looked relieved.

"I trust in you, aunt," he stated simply, "and I am ready to go through with this trial." After saying this, he involuntarily winced.

"Zuko," Katara rushed to him with concern, "you shouldn't exert yourself too much."

"Please don't worry about me," he said with some embarrassment, "I'll be fine."

Melisande had winced as well, clutching at her stomach. Supporting herself by leaning on one of the nearby chairs in the room, she breathed deeply.

"There's one other thing I almost forgot to mention," she said, "you must forgive me but one of the reasons I challenged you to an Agni Kai, Zuko, was to tire both of us out so that it would be easier for us to fall into a deep sleep for this trial. I had cherished a hope until the last moment that the previous ordeal would not take place. It was the one trial I had fervently wished would not happen."

Zuko nodded but asked, "But why did you choose to tell me all of this just now, aunt?"

Katara's expression showed that she was asking the same question.

Melisande replied, "Well, firstly, I doubt you would have believed me. After all, the whole thing seems so iffy and farfetched. Even I wasn't sure until the day of the storm that all this was going to take place. I didn't want to worry you both over nothing, especially you, Katara, since you were innocently dragged into it. Besides, Zuko, you trained in firebending so much everyday that you were always too exhausted to be spoken to."

Zuko smiled slightly. "I guess it's partly my fault then," he said.

"It is no one's fault," Melisande said, "but the time for our confinement draws near and there is still one crucial thing to accomplish." Melisande's golden eyes fixed themselves on Katara.

"Wait here," the duchess ordered as she left the room and proceeded to the small kitchen in the adjacent room. After a few minutes, she returned with a small, earthen jar. She placed it on the table and faced the waterbender.

"I want you to drink this, Katara," Melisande told the waterbender, "finish every last drop."

Katara looked at the jar suspiciously. Zuko looked curiously at his aunt.

"What would you have me do?" Katara asked gravely.

"It's a sleeping potion," Melisande explained, "and it will keep you in a peaceful slumber while Zuko and I have entered our own dark sleep. Like I said before, you have already been involved in more than what should have and I would like to prevent you from suffering any more on either my or Zuko's behalf."

Katara looked incredulously from the jar to Melisande to Zuko and to Melisande again. "But why must you put me to sleep as well?" the girl asked passionately.

"Because I want to spare you the suffering of being alone and seeing Zuko and me in states of unrest," Melisande answered.

Before Katara could speak again, Zuko interrupted her.

"Drink it, Katara," he said simply. The waterbender looked at him with concern.

"But…" she said with worry, "what if something happens? What if either of you need any help?"

Both aunt and nephew shook their heads at her.

"There will be nothing of that sort to worry about, I assure you," Melisande told Katara, "but we don't want you to have to worry about us. We will come out of this alive, I promise you."

"But," Katara persisted, "you don't have to go through this alone."

"On the contrary," Melisande interrupted, "we do. Please just do us this favor of saving yourself. This is for your own good."

"Why am I always excluded from all your trials?" Katara protested, with angry tears in her eyes, "why can't I just share your pain? Because I'm a waterbender? Is that it? But I'm not perfect, I've committed some crimes too."

"Not of equal magnitude," Melisande rebutted, "you are free of our guilt, both individual and collective. The individual guilt of our own sins and the collective guilt of being part of a people who have caused a century of war. We aren't excluding you from anything. We just want to protect you. There isn't much time left."

Katara was stricken by this statement and was silent for a few moments.

"Please just drink it, Katara," Zuko pleaded, an earnest look in his golden eyes. It was his voice that silenced Katara's protests. She looked at him with worry and determination but seeing these two emotions mirrored in his gaze, she felt her resolve weaken.

"It isn't your burden to bear," Zuko tried to convince her. She looked back at him with sadness and understanding. He returned her gaze. Katara looked at Melisande who simply nodded slightly.

The waterbender sighed. She knew when she was beaten. Taking a deep breath, she took the jar in her hands. She unfastened the lid and took a long drink of the contents.

The potion was surprisingly cool and sweet and Katara immediately felt a sensation of peace and relaxation. Realizing that she was also physically exhausted that day, she considered that maybe a long sleep wouldn't be so bad. Her eyelids grew heavy and began to droop.

While she had gulped down the liquid, the two firebenders watched her intently, making sure that she did as she was told. Once she had finished, she looked once more at the two firebenders. Zuko had a grateful expression on his face for which she was glad. Katara could not divine Melisande's expression, however, because the duchess had pulled her cloak down on her face again.

"Thank you," Melisande said simply, "now, we must all proceed to our rooms."

Zuko stood up and nodded at his aunt. He turned to Katara and mouthed "I'll see you" before walking slowly but deliberately towards his room. The two women heard his door close.

"You too, Katara," Melisande reminded in an almost maternal manner. Katara nodded and went to her room.

Once she heard the door shut, Melisande took one last glance at the stormy sky and walked with fatigue to her own chamber.

--

In the privacy of her quarters, Katara struggled to keep awake. The potion was a good one and was beginning to take its effect on her. But she was determined to defeat it.

She took a deep breath and concentrated all her energies. Her fingers tensed as she poised them against her throat.

Master Pakku had shown her this technique in secret when they were on their way to the Earth Kingdom after the siege of the North. He knew that she and the Avatar would have to face many challenges and he wanted to make sure that she, as a master waterbender, would be able to surpass any obstacle.

"I don't know if you will ever need to use this technique," he had told her, "and I sincerely wish you won't have to but I will still teach it to you. Maybe it could help you someday, you never know."

Now, Katara silently thanked Master Pakku for showing her this waterbending technique. Originally, it was for extracting poison from someone's throat if he or she was forced to drink it. The first phase of the technique was to suspend the liquid in one's throat. It was extremely difficult to control the liquid from flowing down to the rest of the body and it required extreme power and concentration.

Luckily, Katara had succeeded in this technique and it didn't seem like either of the firebenders had noticed the tense look on her face after she had drunk the potion. They suspected nothing.

Carefully and skillfully, she drew out the potion from her mouth and bent it into a ball of liquid. Manipulating it with her fingers, she tossed it out her window and into the dark ocean.


	16. Chapter 16

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar. That is that.

AN: Katara just cannot resist, can she? The updates are going to be a little slow next week because I'm going to be swamped with school work (yes, I have summer school) and I can't promise anything. I'm sorry for the inconvenience and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Katara waited for about an hour before she made her move. When she was fairly certain that both Melisande and Zuko had fallen into the dreaded deep sleep, she carefully opened her door and peered outside. The hall was deserted, as expected. Slowly and gently, Katara crept outside her room and closed the door. With footsteps gently treading the wooden floors, she walked towards Zuko's room.

But before proceeding inside, the waterbender looked ahead of her at Melisande's door. The waterbender paused although her hand was already poised over Zuko's doorknob. Melisande had warned her about the risks. And after all, the firebenders were both just looking out for her. And it was really none of her business, what they would have to go through. Melisande had even gone through certain lengths to make sure that Katara would not be affected in any way. It wasn't really fair to lie to them like this.

Katara frowned and made a fist. And yet, why did she not obey their wishes? Why did she still insist on seeing Zuko? Was there really anything she could do to help him? Or was she just acting so foolishly?

But she was staunchly determined to try. Somehow, this persistent need to be of use to people was what motivated her to act so rashly and recklessly. She sighed. She just couldn't bear the thought of other people suffering while she was not. It just didn't seem fair. And that was the way she was.

Once more, the waterbender turned to Melisande's door. There were still a lot of things she didn't know about the lady and so much more which Melisande refused to reveal.

"I guess it's not in my position to pry," Katara thought, but she could not help feeling that Melisande was suffering from the island's ill effects more than she let on. And Katara knew that the older firebender had a sense of pride even greater than her nephew. A month ago, Katara would have never even imagined such a thing possible. But apparently, this aloofness and sense of honor was something hereditary in Zuko's family. The simple waterbender didn't dream of ever fully understanding the subtleties and customs of the Fire Nation royal family. But she did intend to help these two members in any way she could.

So she had decided on checking on Zuko first. He had proven to be more receptive to her help (although reluctantly so) than his aunt. And his room was closer to hers.

Very quietly, she turned the doorknob and carefully opened the door. She peered in slowly. Other than the small, flickering light of a candle, there was no other source of illumination in the room. Everything was still, only moved by the strong winds of the storm entering through the window.

She took a few steps inside and looked around. It was a very simply furnished room. Considering that neither of them had any time to bring anything along there were hardly any personal effects in it. Just a few crimson shirts given by Melisande were hanging in a nearby wardrobe as well as Zuko's green Earth Kingdom apparel. There was a small table upon which the candle was burning perseveringly despite the strong winds blowing. The tiny flame's persistence reminded Katara of Zuko's own determination even in the face of great odds.

As she looked around Zuko's room, Katara suddenly felt embarrassed. Her common sense had decided to rear its ugly head to remind her, much to her chagrin, that she was but a girl standing in a boy's room, alone, and uninvited. The implications of such an action dawned on her and she couldn't help but blush furiously. She was only so glad that no one else was there to see her embarrassment.

She was filled with hesitation after such an awkward realization. This was hardly the action of any self-respecting waterbender. Despite her disagreement with some of her tribe's customs with regard to women, she still abided by their standards for female behavior around unmarried males. And he was a firebender, no less. If anyone would see her there, her reputation would surely be tarnished beyond repair despite her noble intentions.

Besides, how would he even react to her presence? Zuko could be a tad bit touchy about certain things but it would be perfectly justified for him to be angry about her being in his room. It was a clear unwarranted invasion of privacy. She dreaded his reaction and was relieved to hear no signs of his knowing she was there. She heaved a soft sigh.

Katara examined the circumstances and weighed the pros and cons in her mind. Why was she even here? Why was she insisting on interfering in the life of someone so wholly unconnected to her, by blood or even by nationality? What gave her any right to do so?

It was then that she heard wincing from inside the room. Unable to restrain herself, and tossing all caution to the winds, she followed the sound to the inner chamber.

And there he was.

Zuko lay on his bed, partially covered by a blanket and curled up in a fetal position. As was his habit, he was shirtless and glistening beads of cold sweat were visible all over his body. He was shivering and his face was a mask of pain. But his eyes were tightly shut and he seemed unaware of Katara's presence in the room.

As she rushed to his side, she set aside all the socio-cultural hindrances which had prevented her from entering the inner room. They all seemed so relevant in the light of his predicament. Katara had remembered her purpose and motivation for going there. She didn't want Zuko to suffer through the ordeal alone.

This desire to be of help to him had been growing gradually as she spent more time with him on the island. Despite all his attempts to appear self-sufficient and strong, she knew that deep down, all this was a defense mechanism. The truth she realized was that he somehow had always been alone, despite his Uncle Iroh's companionship. After his mother, the only one who truly showed any affection for him in his strange family, had disappeared and while his Uncle continued to mourn for his cousin's death, Zuko had been forced to face the harsh realities of his destiny all on his own.

Even Melisande, whose affection for her nephew had grown considerably as she got to know him better, was unable to fill the emptiness he felt. And although she had been isolated from the world for eight years, she seemed to be more adaptive to the solitude because she still had some links to the outside world including her mysterious connection to her sister. Zuko, however, did not have this privilege. And if it had not been for Uncle Iroh, Zuko might probably have suffered so much more.

Looking at him now, Katara felt herself overwhelmed with pity and sorrow for him. She, Sokka, Aang, and Toph had endured their fair share of loss and sadness in their lives but now, she believed that all of the tragedy they had experienced (except Aang's) could not compare to Zuko's life. There was so much pain and suffering etched on his face that she could not help but shed some tears. Seeing his chest and arms filled with the scars and bruises from the Agni Kai, the constant firebending training, and generally, all the struggles he had endured filled her with even more compassion for him.

She wiped her tears away and felt a little embarrassed. She knelt down beside his bed. Her hand was outstretched towards him but she could not bring herself to touch him.

"I must look like some pathetic little crybaby," she thought to herself, "but is it so wrong to mourn such a sad story?"

He winced again and his entire body tensed. She could see him clenching his teeth in extreme pain and his face was contorted in agony. Seeing him thus extinguished all of Katara's doubts and hesitations. She extended her hand and was just about to lay it on his forehead to check his temperature when something made her freeze.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Katara's blue eyes widened in the realization that she had been caught. She lowered her hand and slowly, turned her head to face Melisande. The firebender was leaning against the doorway of the inner room with her hands folded. Her long dark, hair still covered her face so Katara was unable to determine the lady's expression. The waterbender's face reflected all her guilt and embarrassment. She opened her mouth to offer some lame excuse but she knew that such an attempt would only worsen the situation. So she was silent.

They looked at each other for a few moments before Melisande sighed and turned around.

"You'd better come with me," the duchess muttered softly but with an undeniable authority.

This time, Katara didn't dare disobey. She took one last glance at Zuko's trembling form before standing up and following his aunt out his room. He was still oblivious to her presence. Katara closed his door as quietly as she could and proceeded to the dining room where Melisande was sitting quietly.

Nervously, the waterbender faced the firebender, unsure of how to explain herself. Melisande's face was still shrouded in shadow, making Katara even more anxious.

"Sit down, Katara," Melisande told the girl gently, dispelling all the tension and fear Katara felt. The waterbender nodded and took the seat facing Melisande, her head bowed in an apologetic fashion. She could not bring herself to look Melisande in the eye but if she had she would have had no cause to worry as the duchess was smiling at her compassionately.

"I'd be lying if I said that I didn't expect this," Melisande began. Katara looked up at her with surprise and embarrassment but the girl was now able to meet the lady's gaze with considerable composure.

Melisande sighed but with a hint of amusement. "My experience," she explained with a small smile, "has taught me never to trust waterbenders around any kind of liquid. They can always find a way of doing as they please."

Katara looked incredulously at Melisande before returning her smile. "So you suspected me, after all?" she whispered.

"I knew how determined you were to be of help to us," Melisande replied, "especially to Zuko."

Katara looked away with a slight blush. Melisande paid no mind to this reaction.

"You were so open about your intentions that it was hard not to suspect," the older woman continued, "that plus the fact that you are a waterbending master. It isn't so hard to add up."

"I guess I don't need to explain myself then," Katara said, "I'm sorry."

"No, my dear," Melisande told her gently, "I perfectly understand your feelings and intentions and I greatly appreciate your concern for my nephew. But I also want you to be aware of all the risks involved."

"I don't mind having to care for both of you during this difficult period," Katara argued, "for as long as I am not some useless heap lying in peace while you suffer."

"I'm afraid there's more to it than that," Melisande explained.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that if you were to touch either of us while we are undergoing our trial, you would be dragged into it as well. Selfless though your act may be, it is also foolish. For not only will you be unable to stop or to ease Zuko's suffering, you would be suffering as well. The island will not spare you if you choose to take that path. Every painful memory and difficult experience will resurface and you will have to face all your greatest fears and sufferings."

Hearing this, Katara fell silent and she began to ponder.

Melisande gazed at her intently. "Now, I'm sure you must be seriously reconsidering your actions," the duchess muttered, "I will not blame you if you change your mind. It is really not your burden to bear and I would really prefer not to argue with you on the matter any further."

"All my painful memories," Katara whispered to herself, trying to account for what she might expect to see should she decide to join the firebenders in their confinement. Her mother's death, her father's departure, leaving the South Pole, all her anxieties over Aang during the course of their journey… she considered every experience carefully.

Melisande continued to observe the waterbender as the girl debated with herself over what to do. The firebending master shook her head sadly. But sitting here with Katara was taking all of her energy and concentration. Beneath her crimson robes, Melisande was trembling with unfathomable pain. She clenched her fists as she struggled for control and composure. But somehow a flash of pain had caused her to give a short wince.

Melisande frowned, clenched her teeth, and silently cursed.

Katara, on the other hand, snapped out of her reverie and realized what was happening.

"You delayed your ordeal," Katara muttered in horror, "to stop me from making a grave mistake."

She stood up and rushed to the firebender's side. Melisande quickly raised a hand to stop Katara. The worried girl stood away from the firebender.

"No," Melisande cried weakly, "it's nothing."

"But you're in pain," Katara objected. But Melisande was obstinate.

"Give me a moment," the lady muttered as she took a long, deep breath. The pain subsided somewhat, mostly because of the strength of her will and she was able to sit up properly again.

"All this," she whispered to herself, "and yet my ordeal has not even begun. I wonder what more is in store for me soon." She turned back to Katara.

"Listen, Katara," Melisande implored, "I know that it is hard for you to see Zuko and I in this condition but I am begging you to see reason. Neither of us would want you to have to suffer more on our behalf and we are trying our utmost to protect you. I know Zuko barely shows it but he is concerned about you."

"I know that," Katara answered, "but…"

"He doesn't need your pity right now, Katara. That would only hurt him more. We are a proud family and we don't easily deal with pity from others no matter how pitiful our circumstance may be. If anything, he needs you to be strong for him, so that when he returns from his trial, he will have someone waiting for him. I'm certain that that would be more than enough."

Katara stopped to consider Melisande's words. It was true that she felt an overwhelming pity for Zuko. But she couldn't help it, it was in her nature to feel compassion for those who suffered. And she could really never bear to stand by and do nothing while someone else was in pain. It was so contradictory to her character that it was causing her some turmoil.

Never had anyone refused her help so persistently and never had she felt all the more determined to offer it. She knew that she was acting unreasonably now and she reprimanded herself for it but she also knew that her resolve would never waver no matter what anyone told her.

Seeing the girl's hesitation and the subsequent look of staunch determination, Melisande sighed with resignation. It was easy for her to recognize the signs of obstinacy when she saw them for she had often demonstrated them in her youth.

"I can see that nothing I say to you will make you change your mind," Melisande declare with finality, "you seem quite determined."

Katara looked gratefully at Melisande. "I'm sorry," she replied, "but I am quite determined."

"Don't worry," Melisande comforted her, "this reaction wasn't wholly unexpected either. But I still wanted to convince you, or at least try to. But in the end, I don't have any say in the matter. The choice is yours."

"I'm sorry for being so persistent," Katara tried to explain, "it didn't used to be a habit of mine to defy my superiors. But certain things happened that made me become more assertive." She remembered going against Gran-gran's wishes by choosing to follow Aang, a decision which may have been one of the most important in her life. Then, there was her waterbending duel with Master Pakku and her unflinching determination to become a master waterbender. All these experiences had helped her become who she was now, someone who fought for what she believed in no matter what the difficulties or hindrances. And she wasn't going to stop now.

"The truth is," she continued with fervor, "even though Zuko and I come from such different backgrounds and have such different personalities, I feel that I have some responsibility towards him. I can't really explain it but I can't help it, either. Maybe, our coming to this island really was necessary for me. Because, although I'm not sure if he feels the same, I've come to consider him as…" She paused with some hesitation, "….a good friend."

Melisande had listened to the girl's outburst with considerable serenity. The duchess smiled at the girl's hesitation and Melisande believed that she knew, better than Katara herself, how exactly the waterbender felt about her nephew. But seeing the doubt in the girl's eyes, Melisande also understood that perhaps Katara was still reluctant to admit the truth to herself. But the duchess was certain, it would come out all in good time.

Seeing Melisande's composure, Katara blushed and was a little embarrassed by her outburst. The duchess' knowing look also disconcerted the girl to a certain extent. Perhaps Melisande knew Katara's heart more than she did and it was rather unsettling.

"Forgive me," the waterbender said, "I'm being selfish. All this time I've been talking about how I feel and what I want to do and I've completely disregarded your feelings, aunt. I'm sorry."

"I assure you that it is of no consequence," Melisande comforted, "I perfectly understand you."

"No," Katara argued, "I've been so insensitive and inconsiderate. You are suffering just as much as Zuko and even more so by delaying your confinement. And you refuse to let me heal all the wounds that have spread around your body after the painful exchange of words between you and Zuko. Is there anything I can do to relieve your suffering?"

"I suppose I'm just as obstinate as you," Melisande replied, "when I say that there is nothing you can do for me and that I refuse to burden you with my worries. These wounds have marked me before and I know that I will be able to survive them. I am no stranger to pain and suffering so I assure you that it will not be as difficult as you imagine it to be."

"But.."

"I am absolutely certain that I am beyond help at this point in time," Melisande said plainly, "although I must reiterate my extreme and sincerest gratitude to you for your concern. I find it quite ironic, actually, that of all people, only someone not related to me or Zuko, and a member of the opposite element, no less, would be the one to show the most love and concern for us. Believe me when I say certain members of our own families have treated us a lot less kindly. Thank you."

Katara nodded, remembering the cruel Azula and her father, the Fire Lord. There may have been many things she did not know about the Fire Nation but what she did know was that they put very little value on the bonds of family when these did not contribute to their advancement and increase of power. That was why the Fire Lord was willing to banish even his own son.

Melisande cringed and clutched her stomach. Cold beads of sweat began dripping from her forehead.

"I suppose I've delayed my fate long enough," she said with difficulty.

"I'm so sorry," Katara said, "it was because of me, wasn't it? I'm so sorry for being the cause of more pain."

"Don't be ridiculous, Katara. I chose to do this and I have to face the consequences," Melisande replied, and tried to smile, "it has nothing to do with you. But I suppose nothing I can do now will ever change your mind."

Katara walked towards the firebender, supporting Melisande with her arms. She shook her head softly.

"I'm afraid there's nothing you can do," Katara whispered.

Melisande smiled faintly and pulled Katara into a warm embrace. Although surprised, Katara returned the gesture.

"Just as well," Melisande whispered mysteriously. With the last bit of her energy, the firebender raised her hand, with the fingers close together, and aimed a gentle but precise blow at the back of Katara's neck. The waterbender's eyes widened momentarily before she passed out.

"I'm sorry for having to do this. Zuko would never forgive me if I didn't at least try to stop you," Melisande muttered to the unconscious waterbender, "although I doubt that you will be prevented for long. He would have done found a better way to stop you had he not been so exhausted. But however long the delay, I only hope it would be enough for you not to see Zuko in the worst of the throes. I know that you are a strong girl, but to see a person so dear to you suffer that much pain might be too much even for you. This was the only way to shield you from witnessing such a tragic event."

The duchess carried Katara's limp form to a nearby chair and gently laid the girl down. After making sure that the waterbender was in a comfortable position, Melisande strode slowly to her chamber and prepared to effectively lock her doors. Although she could not do the same for Zuko (and doubted that doing so would have prevented Katara anyway), Melisande was determined to block the entrance to her own room.

Before sealing herself in, she took a final glance at the waterbender.

"You're more alike than you realized," she whispered, "you're both so stubborn."


	17. Chapter 17

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar. That is that.

AN: Sorry but this will probably be the only update for the week. But I'll try to update as soon as possible. And sorry if some of this chapter seems so anime-ish. I guess anime has a big influence on me.

Some of this chapter will be written in a sort of stream-of-consciousness style (or at least my version of it) because there will be a lot of memories. Most of the flashbacks will be reminiscent of "Zuko Alone" and "The Beach" so forgive some redundancy. The rest are of my invention.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Katara awoke with a start to find herself alone in the dining room. She rubbed the back of her neck instinctively and looked around her. Melisande was nowhere to be seen. She walked towards the duchess' room and noticed that the door was tightly shut. She tried to open it but found it locked. She sighed in understanding. Those two firebenders were determined to thwart her. But somehow, they had to give way to her stubbornness. She hoped that they would not find it too hard to forgive her for her interference.

"I wonder how long I had been out?" Katara thought. She looked around her but a strange stillness had settled over the house despite the raging storm. By now, both firebenders were undergoing their trials and she was supposed to wait. But Katara had already resolved what to do.

She walked resolutely down the hall and once again entered Zuko's room. This time there was less hesitation in her gait and she proceeded immediately to the inner room. Fortunately, Zuko had stopped shivering and was now quietly sleeping. It looked like he had endured the worst of the pains in his ordeal and he had lapsed into a state of extreme tranquility. And yet, his face still held a tense and tormented expression. His brow was knotted in a frown and his lips were pursed.

Katara watched his chest heave up and down with steady breathing. His hands were on his sides and both had clenched fists. She knelt down beside his bed again and reached out her hand.

"… _if you were to touch either of us while we are undergoing our trial, you would be dragged into it as well. Every painful memory and difficult experience will resurface and you will have to face all your greatest fears and sufferings."_

And despite Melisande's warning, Katara was obstinate. Without a moment's pause she laid a hand on one of Zuko's fists and gently opened his hand. Their fingers clasped before she lay her head on his bed and fell into a deep slumber as well.

_She awoke in a small room with wooden walls and floors. She looked at her hands and noticed that her entire body had acquired a translucent, bluish glow._

"_This must be how my spirit self looks like," she thought. She walked towards a nearby window and saw that the house was overlooking a beautiful beach. She almost imagined that she was still on the Isle of Azufre but then she noticed other houses in the distance and then she felt the overall benevolent aura of the place. Nope, definitely not in exile._

_She heard laughter in the next room. Katara peered in._

_A young, beautiful Fire Nation woman. A small child with a small Fire Nation crown. A circle of clay. A handprint. The sunlight illuminating the scene. The gentle sounds of the sea. A picture of perfection._

_Katara smiled and marveled at the beauty of the scene. But while she was appreciating the tender moment, she felt herself sucked in by some strange force and transported somewhere else._

_She was on the beach now. Again, there was laughter but this time there were other people._

_A young boy ran gaily across the shore, leaving footprints in the sand. A smaller boy followed with a wide smile. An older man watched them benevolently. A couple also stood nearby. A solemn-looking young man and his wife, the same woman from the first scene and she held the small hand of a little girl who looked around her with avid curiosity._

"_Cousin Lu Ten, wait up!" cried the smaller boy._

"_Catch me if you can, Zuko!" the older boy teased._

_And there was nothing but the beach, the sunlight, the laughter, and the joy._

_The scene shifted._

_Brother and sister running across the beach together, laughing and playing innocently. Two sisters observing the children with satisfaction._

"_They are beautiful," said Ursa._

"_Zuko takes after his mother," Melisande replied teasingly, "Azula takes after her aunt."_

_The two women shared a laugh. The children looked up._

"_What's so funny, Mom?" the boy asked._

"_Nothing, my love," Ursa replied, "just something only two sisters would understand."_

"_Too bad I just have a brother," little Azula teased but without malice. The young Zuko retaliated by tickling her and sending the little girl into a fit of giggles._

"_Zuzu!"_

"_Don't call me that!"_

_Another scene, in another place._

_A field over which a gentle breeze blew. An older Zuko smiling as a taller man laid his hand on the boy's shoulder. A moment of contentment and peace._

_Then, Katara found herself inside a courtyard. The architecture showed that it was in the Fire Nation._

_Ursa and Melisande were engaged in conversation. A young Zuko appeared and ran straight to his mother._

"_Mom!"_

_Ursa caught her son in an embrace. Melisande looked at him curiously._

"_Your son has talent, I'll grant you," commented the aunt, "not many people can tell us apart at such a young age."_

"_Children can always recognize their parents, sister," Ursa replied with a smile, "you'll learn that when you become a mother too."_

"_That doesn't seem likely, does it?" Melisande replied but without ill will._

_Another memory. This time Katara found herself in a small garden, with a pond in the center. The waterbender could not resist chuckling when she saw a young Zuko being attacked by an enraged turtle duck._

"_Stupid turtle duck, why'd she do that?" Zuko said sullenly. He hugged his knees and his mother sat next to him, removing the mother turtle duck which was biting his foot.__  
_

"_Zuko, that's what mom's are like," she said, p__utting her arms around her son, "__If you mess with their babies, they'll bite you back."___

_She hugged him and he laughed._

_Then, the scene changed to Ursa reading a letter from Iroh to the children._

"_Until then, enjoy these gifts. For Zuko, a pearl dagger from the general who surrendered when we broke through the outer wall. Note the inscription and the superior craftsmanship," she read._

_Zuko picked up a dagger and unsheathed it. "Never give up without a fight," he read the inscription._

_The scene changed to the younger Zuko and Azula talking._

"_By the way, Uncle's coming home," Azula said with a bored air._

"_Does that mean we won the war?" Zuko asked timidly._

"_No. It mean's Uncle's a quitter __and__ a loser."_

"_What are you talking about? Uncle's not a quitter!"__  
_

"_Oh yes he is. He found out his son died and he just fell apart. A real general would stay and burn Ba Sing Se to the ground, not lose the battle and come home crying."_

"_How do you know what he should do?" Zuko said angrily, "He's probably just sad his only kid is gone forever."_

"_Well, if Aunt Melisande hadn't become a vicious traitor, maybe she could have been a better general. But she got what she deserved for trying to plot against the Fire Lord," Azula said harshly._

"_How can you talk like that about our family?" Zuko argued._

_Then, Katara stood in the Fire Lord's throne room. She was awestruck by the grandeur of the place and was unable to react at first. Then she noticed that Azula and Zuko had snuck behind the curtains to eavesdrop on the conversation between Fire Lord Azulon and then Prince Ozai._

_Then, the waterbender stood in a dark, royal bedroom._

_Azula stood by the doorway, a malevolent look on her face._

"_Dad's going to kill you," she said in a sing-song voice, "Really. He is."_

"_Ha-ha, Azula. Nice try," replied Zuko._

"_Fine, don't believe me," the girl persisted, "b__ut I heard everything. Grandfather said dad's punishment should fit his crime. You must know the pain of losing a first born son, by sacrificing your own!"_

"_Liar!" Zuko cried._

_Katara, who witnessed the whole thing was aghast at Azula's cruelty to her brother even at such a young age. But the scene quickly changed to a slightly frightened Zuko, alone in his bedroom._

"_Azula always lies," he chanted repeatedly._

_And then, the room grew dark. Zuko had fallen asleep but his mother hurriedly entered his room and shook him awake._

"_Mom?" he asked, half-asleep._

"_Zuko, please, my love, listen to me. Everything I've done," she said as she hugged him and glanced hastily behind her, "I've done to protect you. Remember this Zuko. No matter how things may seem to change, never forget who you are."_

_And with those final words, his mother put on a dark hood and disappeared into the hall._

_Katara realized that before they had learned the truth about Ursa on the Isle, this had been the last memory he had of her. It was such a sad scene that she looked with pity on the sleeping form of the younger Zuko._

"_He must have hated himself for not being fully awake at the time," she thought. "And that was a burden he carried with him for the next six years."_

_But then, she found herself in the garden she had been earlier. She saw the tall figure of Fire Lord Ozai as he faced the pond._

_Zuko came running, calling for his mother._

"_Where is she?" he asked his father. The older man said nothing and his son looked down sadly._

_And then, the scenes flashed by so quickly that Katara spent barely a moment in each event. She felt herself flying through Zuko's memories._

_Fire Lord Azulon's funeral. Fire Lord Ozai's coronation. Zuko and Azula growing up and apart._

_By the time the scenes settled, Katara found herself standing by what looked like a heavily-guarded room in the Fire Nation's Royal Palace. An aged Iroh stood by the door and a slightly older, scar-less Zuko seemed to be asking him a favor._

"_If I'm gonna rule this nation one day," Zuko was saying, "don't you think I should learn as much as I can?"_

_Seeing and appreciating his nephew's eagerness, Iroh agreed but with some apprehension._

_Then, Katara watched as flashes of the meeting were revealed to her. The general's cruel strategy. Zuko's blatant opposition. The shadow falling on the Fire Lord's face._

_Then, she appeared at a large arena where a crowd had gathered. Among the spectators, she recognized Iroh, Zhao, and Azula. Looking at the platform, she saw the young Zuko wearing the traditional Fire Nation garb for an Agni Kai._

"_It's lucky that Melisande and Zuko explained the concept of Agni Kai to me," she though, "otherwise, I'd be lost here."_

_The young Zuko turned to face his opponent, determined and unflinching, his hands raised in an initial firebending form. As the shadowy, towering figure of his opponent walked towards him, he dropped his hands in surprise and horror. Seeing his reaction, Katara turned to look at his opponent and gasped. Fire Lord Ozai. His own father._

_Katara watched in absolute horror as the entire duel transpired, spirit tears flowing down her cheeks._

"_I am your loyal son."_

_Zuko kneeling down. Begging for mercy. The Fire Lord's cruel judgment. A scream of pain._

"_You will learn respect and suffering will be your teacher."_

"_That scream," Katara muttered. She remembered hearing the same thing on the beach on the island after the unfortunate incident with Melisande. The cry of a wounded animal. And yet, this one she was hearing was more forlorn, more shocked, more pained._

_It was then that she heard the Fire Lord's cruel punishment. Banished to capture the Avatar, the only threat to the Fire Nation, a being who had not been seen for the last hundred years._

_The waterbender watched as the dejected Zuko, his wound still fresh, set out quickly on what seemed to be a wild goose chase._

"_That is the only way you can ever regain your honor," Ozai had said._

_Katara realized with sadness and shock why Zuko had been so relentless in pursuing Aang. Of course, there was no way for Aang, her, or Sokka to know Zuko's true motive. At the time, the Fire Prince was just another firebender out to destroy the world's last hope for peace. Now that she had seen what had led to his banishment, she felt so much regret at her prejudices against him. And yet, how could she have known it then?_

_The next scenes flashed by in a rapid blur. The first two years of fruitless searching. Scouring the globe for an almost mythological figure. Changing course at the slightest lead, no matter how farfetched._

_The sleepless nights. Dreaming of a life left behind. Of a past never to be reclaimed. Despair. Frustration. Anger. Determination. All the emotions which had driven Zuko to act as he did in those past years._

_Knowing the whole story, Katara couldn't blame him and now fully understood his motivations. There was so much she didn't know about him and so little he had been willing to reveal, even when they had gotten over the initial hostilities and awkwardness._

_The scene settled on board Zuko's Fire Nation ship. It was approaching a very familiar place._

_Katara's eyes widened in recognition. It was her village at the South Pole._

_--_

_**Zuko blinked as he looked around him. He glanced at his hands. They were translucent and had a bluish glow.**_

_**He found himself in very unfamiliar territory. There was nothing but the whiteness of snow around him and the brilliance of a sun unhindered by tall buildings or towers. This was certainly not the Fire Nation.**_

_**Recognizing the ice caps and the unique structures of homes, Zuko realized that he was in the Water Tribe village in the South Pole. But what was he doing here?**_

"_**I knew this ordeal would be unpleasant," he told himself, "but I didn't think it would be strange."**_

_**Hearing a slight noise, he instinctively hid himself behind one of the small huts. He sighed with relief when he saw a young Water Tribe boy running home. A Water Tribe woman appeared from the doorway of the hut nearby and was beckoning to the boy.**_

"_**Come, Sokka," the woman said, "come and see your little sister."**_

'_**Sokka?' Zuko realized with surprise as he watched the young boy run to the igloo, 'so I must be in…Katara's memory. But why?'**_

_**But before he could find an explanation, he seemed to be whisked away to another memory.**_

_**A little Water Tribe girl was playing in the snow with her brother. There was laughter all around.**_

_**The girl raised her hands and a small ball of snow levitated from the ground just beneath her palms.**_

_**The blue-eyed child smiled gleefully and her eyes widened at her achievement. She moved her fingers and the small snowball followed suit.**_

_**While watching the siblings play, Zuko was reminded of his own childhood, so vastly different from theirs. But despite his family's wealth and position, he rarely had the opportunity to enjoy a normal, happy childhood like the one he saw before him.**_

"_**Sokka, Sokka!" she cried excitedly, "look what I can do!"**_

_**The little boy looked at his sister skeptically before shrugging and saying in the typical proud fashion, "Pfft. Anyone can do that!"**_

"_**Really?" his sister replied with wide-eyed innocence.**_

"_**Sure," her brother said with an air of superiority, "watch!"**_

_**The Water Tribe boy took a deep breath and rubbed his gloved hands together and raised them over a patch of snow. His sister watched intently. But no matter what he tried, the snow would not budge. He grunted and focused all his thought on the action but still nothing happened. And yet, all this time, Katara's little ball of snow remained suspended in mid-air as long as her hand was positioned above it.**_

_**After several failed attempts at imitating his sister's feat, little Sokka began showing signs of frustration. This time, it was Katara's turn to look skeptical.**_

"_**Well?" she said mockingly, "I'm waiting."**_

_**Trying and failing a few more times, the young boy shook his hands in exasperation and stomped away.**_

"_**Ah, whatever," he muttered defensively, "it's just silly girly stuff anyway."**_

_**The little Katara pouted and yelled back, "It is not!"**_

_**Sokka stuck out his tongue and argued, "is too!"**_

_**And such would have been the continuous exchange between the two siblings had not their father arrived at the scene to pacify them. The two children explained the situation in rising volumes while Hakoda looked at them with an expression of calm and patience.**_

_**But when Katara demonstrated her little "trick", her father's expression turned grave and pensive.**_

"_**Sokka, I think your mother's cooking up a batch of ocean kumquats," Hakoda told his son, "I think you should go help her."**_

_**The young boy's eyes looked excited at the prospect of food and he quickly obeyed his father's command. Katara was about to follow when her father stopped her.**_

"_**What's wrong, Dad?" she asked innocently.**_

"_**My dear, dear child," her father told her gently, "I believe that you have been blessed with a very special gift."**_

"_**Gift?"  
**_

"_**I never thought I would live to see this day," he said, more to himself than to her, "But I thank the spirits for bestowing upon me the honor of being the father of this tribe's first waterbender in over ten years!"**_

"_**Waterbender?" the little girl asked with puzzlement, "what's that, Dad?"**_

"_**It's what you are," her father explained, "it's your destiny."**_

"_**What?"**_

"_**You'll understand when you grow older," he concluded, "but don't worry. I will do everything in my power to find you a waterbending master. You've made me very proud."**_

_**Although confused at his words, the little Katara smiled brightly at her father and gave him a warm embrace. The chief took his daughter's hand and they proceeded inside the igloo.**_

_**Zuko sighed and felt a pang of envy. He never had such a relationship with his father. But he did not begrudge Katara and Sokka this luxury. He also felt happy for them.**_

"_**Destiny is a funny thing," he thought, echoing his uncle's words, "the little sister is always a prodigy."**_

_**Before he had a chance to ponder further on the philosophical implications of Katara's memories, he felt himself flying through a cascade of her memories, each event flashing by quickly and briefly.**_

_**The siblings growing up. Hakoda taking many trips out of the South Pole. Sokka and Katara waiting patiently for their father. The elders of the tribe looking worried.**_

_**There was a scene where Hakoda, disembarking from a large Water Tribe vessel, greeted his wife and children gravely.**_

"_**I'm sorry, Katara," he said sadly, "I couldn't find a master for you this time. The war with the Fire Nation is getting worse. I fear that it is only a matter of time before they attack our little village."  
**_

"_**But surely they would never take interest in a small Water Tribe so far from their nation," Katara's mother replied with worry.**_

_**Hakoda sighed. "I wish that what you say is true," he replied, "however, the Fire Lord has shown that he will not settle for less than complete world domination. These are dark times for every man who still calls himself free."**_

"_**Hush," his wife reprimanded him, "don't startle the children. I'm sure everything will be all right for as long as we're all together."**_

_**Hakoda smiled hopefully at his wife. The scene faded with a final view of Hakoda and his family in a tight but sad embrace.**_

_**Seeing such a picture of happiness shattered by the pointless machinations of war, Zuko felt enraged at his own race. How could they have waged a war that would cause the suffering of so many? How could his father be so cruel? But then again, he, of all people, knew firsthand just how harsh the Fire Lord could be. But never had the Fire Prince been so infuriated by it until now.**_

_**Then, Zuko found himself placed in a darker, sadder scene.**_

_**The smoke from funeral pyres blackened the skies. The smell of ash was everywhere. The once pristine, snow-covered ground was now flecked with drops of blood and charred wood. The stillness was occasionally pierced by a wail of despair. An air of mourning settled on all those around.**_

_**Having discovered that he was invisible to all the people in each memory, Zuko stood among the Water Tribe people, trying to share in their grief.**_

_**Some were still trying to put out the fires in their igloos. Others lay huddled together, shoulders shaking not from the cold but from the incessant weeping. Every family member held each other close.**_

_**Everywhere he looked, Zuko saw tearstained faces. He gazed with horror at the destruction caused by one of his nation's raids.**_

_**He continued to walk among the ruins of families until he reached familiar faces. He almost could not bear to see their grief.**_

_**An aged lady, one he recognized from when he first arrived at the South Pole, was hugging the two children close. Hakoda stood a few steps away from them looking so shocked and sad. He clutched a small necklace with trembling hands.**_

_**Zuko frowned sadly as he watched them.**_

"_**Mom's gone," the young Katara sobbed, "forever."**_

_**Her brother seemed to have lost all faculties of speech and simply sobbed harder when he heard her words. She held him close.**_

"_**You have to be strong now, Katara," their grandmother consoled.**_

"_**Yes, Gran-gran," she replied with precocious awareness, "I know."**_

_**The scene changed. Hakoda was dressed in full Water Tribe armor and he was instructing a crew to load his ship.**_

_**Zuko watched as a young Sokka insisted on going with his father but was gently rebuffed by the latter. The Fire Prince looked on as the young Water Tribe warrior watched his father sail away. But Zuko was the only one who noticed Katara inconspicuously behind her brother, watching their father's departure with resigned sadness.**_

_**Then, the scenes flashed by quickly. Sokka taking responsibility for the tribe, being the eldest male member left. Katara falling effectively into her role as a guardian of the smaller children. The two siblings taking charge of their village.**_

_**As these memories flashed by, Zuko thought that Katara was forced to grow up a lot faster than she should have because of her difficult circumstances. And although he had had a life fraught with suffering as well, his travails were of a different nature. He had never had to assume the position of the leader of his people. But in his case, he was denied that privilege not forced into it.**_

_**Then, the scene settled on the siblings in their current ages. Zuko was standing on a nearby block of ice and he observed, with some amusement, the brother and sister arguing over something. Their canoe stopped in front of a large and strange iceberg. Zuko narrowed his eyes and looked at it closely.**_

_**But before he could observe it further, Katara, in a fit of rage, inadvertently cracked the iceberg with her waterbending. Seeing the flash of celestial light, Zuko quickly realized what he was seeing.**_

_**This was how the Water Tribe siblings found the Avatar.**_

_**The astounded Fire Prince continued to watch as Katara and Sokka made the acquaintance of Aang and Appa. He watched them bring the boy back to their village.**_

_**The young Avatar wrought havoc among the members of the Water Tribe. He went penguin sledding with Katara.**_

_**And while the boy engaged in seemingly childish activities, Zuko observed how Katara seemed to regain some of her lost childhood. Perhaps the Avatar's coming reminded her of her own youth and momentarily put her mind away from the weighty responsibilities of an adult.**_

_**Zuko even remembered the Avatar telling **_**him, "You're just a teenager." **_**The Fire Prince forgot sometimes.**_

_**He continued to watch as Aang and Katara explored the old Fire Nation ship. Katara's grandmother reprimanded her and Aang for their unruly behavior. And then, Aang was sent away.**_

_**The next scene was a very familiar one, a large, Fire Nation barge cracking the ice and entering the village.**_

_**Zuko's eyes narrowed. **_**"My ship."**

It was only then that he noticed the chains on his hands and feet. He lifted them and felt their weight.

Earlier in his trial, he had been aware of these shackles and knew that they were part of the punishment and purgation process his aunt told him he had to go through. But somehow, as he strayed across Katara's memory, he had ignored the weight of those chains. He had been distracted somehow.

Sensing another spiritual presence nearby, Zuko whirled around. His face bore an expression of recognition.

"So, you couldn't be stopped, after all?" the firebender said.

Katara approached him and smiled. "No," she replied, "I am quite headstrong."

"I'm not that surprised to see you," he told her, "considering I've been taken on a tour of your memories. And I suppose you've seen mine as well."

She nodded gravely. "Yes," she whispered, "I've seen your past. It seems there is so much I didn't know about you."

"And I about you," he answered, "but I guess that's why we're here."

Katara looked at him carefully, trying to gauge his reaction. He didn't look too happy to see her, but then again, he was always good at concealing his emotions.

Then, she noticed his chains. Seeing her stare, he lifted his chains casually.

"So you saw these, huh?" Zuko said, "they're part of the ordeal. I don't know how my spirit manages to feel their weight but it does."

Katara said nothing and looked sadly at her feet.

"Don't worry about it," Zuko comforted, "because for some inexplicable reason, they've become lighter and lighter as I passed through your memories. I'm grateful that you've come, if only for that."

Katara smiled slightly. "Do you want to know why we've finally seen each other's spirits in this strange land of memories?" she asked mysteriously.

"What are you talking about, Katara?" Zuko replied with puzzlement. And then his golden eyes widened in shock at what he saw before him.

Katara raised her chained hands up, showing how the chains from her wrists were linked to those on his. A shared burden.

"Because, Zuko," she continued, "this is where our destinies intersect."


	18. Chapter 18

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar. That is that.

AN: I will interrupt the intense Zuko-Katara interaction chapters to bring in the rest of the main cast. Welcome to the long-awaited Gaang chapter. Don't worry though. It won't be too long before the Gaang members finally contact their comrades on the island.

Of course, I was referring to more than just Zuko and Katara when I used the line about intersecting destinies. This is also sort of a Mothers' Day special.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

"The coast is clear."

A small, sturdy figure emerged from the shadows followed by three other, taller figures.

"Let me just say this again," said a loud voice, "I'm so glad we added you to the group, Toph."

"It's not as amusing the twenty-sixth time around, Sokka," the blind earthbender replied with a sigh although deep inside, she was still pleased with the praise. Beside her, the Water Tribe warrior pouted.

Following them into the small cave were Iroh and Aang. The old firebender nodded at the young earthbender and she sealed the entrance to their meeting place.

Walking towards the walls, Aang and Iroh ignited the hanging torches and the meeting room acquired a homely glow. Of course, there was a pot of tea waiting for them and the eldest member of their party soon busied himself with brewing.

The young water tribe warrior fussed about with his scrolls and charts, laying some on the table in the center of the room and making a few revisions here and there. The earthbender settled down on her favorite corner of the room, having thoroughly checked for the presence of intruders. She raised her earth-coated feet on a platform of earth she bent and leaned back in a relaxed manner.

The Avatar calmly took his place beside the Water Tribe warrior and nodded gravely at every excited detail the latter pointed out to him. Every now and then, the elderly firebender with them would give a wise suggestion which they would thank him for enthusiastically.

Her primary duty accomplished, Toph watched the three men with amusement at their enthusiasm. She wasn't that interested in the invasion plans or strategies, she was more a woman of action. So she patiently waited for them to finish their planning in the hopes that she would get many opportunities of kicking Fire Nation butt. After all, as soon as they were ready, they would but wait for Katara and Iroh's nephew to return so that they may finally attack the Fire Nation and put an end to the century-long war. Because of the crazy antics of Sokka and sometimes hilarious suggestions of Iroh, as well as Aang's occasional pleasantry, Toph enjoyed these secret planning sessions. After all, these were far more interesting than staying in the royal court of the Earth Kingdom, participating in stupid political meetings and logistical discussions. Toph loathed those and felt the urge to stick out her tongue in disgust at the mere thought of them.

Iroh had suggested these secret planning sessions as a way of guaranteeing no leakage of attack strategies to the Fire Nation. The wise, old man knew that although his niece, Azula, was no longer in Ba Sing Se, she still had her spies, the members of the Dai Li, constantly keeping her updated all the proceedings in the Earth King's court. It had proven to be exceedingly difficult for them to sort out the traitors from the brainwashed so they had simply decided to isolate themselves from the rest of Ba Sing Se in order to safely prepare for their imminent invasion of the Fire Nation.

Toph's main task was to make sure that no other presence was nearby during their meetings. Her superior senses were also instrumental in alerting them to the presence of spies or intruders. They had found this cozy and convenient cave somewhere in the heart of the city and so they furnished it with all their needs. They would meet at random times so as not to alert the suspicion of their enemies in the city and so far they had made considerable progress. Sokka decided that they would make all the preparations themselves and would only alert the other generals of the Earth King when it would be too late for Azula's spies to send any information to her. As an added precaution, they would stage some invasion "planning sessions" with the generals, pretending to adopt certain strategies which they really had no intention of doing. These diversionary tactics would hopefully throw the Fire Lord and his daughter off their trail and would give them an even bigger element of surprise on the day of the invasion.

Sokka was extremely pleased with all the progress they were making for the attack and he focused all his attention on the planning. Iroh admired the young man's passion and contributed whatever he could to the planning. The old man enjoyed the company of the Water Tribe warrior exceedingly and discovered that he had at last found a young man with the same sense of humor.

Aang diligently trained in firebending under Iroh's tutelage and was well on his way to becoming a true master. Whenever he had the opportunity, he would practice bending all the elements at once. He trained relentlessly and seemed almost indefatigable because his strength was fueled by his determination not to disappoint everyone depending on him.

But he also always found the time to meditate and to nurture his soul by doing a number of spiritual exercises he had believed boring when he learned them in the Air Temples. The more he practiced with the four elements, the more Aang understood the need for balance in the world. And this balance did not only entail the harmony among opposing elements but also harmony between the mind and the soul. Iroh had counseled him to always stay connected with his dreams and desires as an individual as well as those as the Avatar.

"Do not let yourself get weighed down by your tremendous responsibility," Iroh had told him, "while it is admirable of you to face your destiny as the Avatar, you must never forget that you are also just a human being and you are still entitled to the same pleasure and pain that all of us endure."

But whenever he could, Aang would train with Toph and Iroh using airbending and waterbending. The absence of his waterbending master still brought slight pangs to him but he tried not to dwell on it because he knew they would eventually be reunited.

Perhaps it was the absence of the person who had always taken care of them which drove the Avatar and his friends to such extremes. Sokka sorely missed his sister but would never admit it. He exerted all his energies towards the creation of brilliant attack schemes and tried to keep his mind away from the gaping hole in his life where Katara had been. They all knew that they would see her again, but though this knowledge consoled them, it did not completely soothe the yearning they had for their dear friend and sister.

It need not be said that Iroh missed his nephew exceedingly. Despite the new friends he had made in the person of the Avatar and his companions, there was still that undeniable longing for the boy he had always loved like a second son.

Zuko was far from the perfect son Iroh had always wanted. In fact, some of the traits Iroh could really relate to seemed to be present in the Avatar, the Water Tribe warrior, and the blind earthbender. Zuko did not have Sokka's sense of humor, Aang's optimism, or Toph's confidence in herself. There had always been moments of frustration for Iroh, as an uncle and guardian of a hot-headed, impulsive, humorless, and occasionally ruthless firebender. But for all his faults, Zuko had a good and generous heart, whenever he chose to show it. Iroh knew that and longed for the day when the Avatar and his companions would finally accept and appreciate Zuko for who he truly is.

Hopefully, Iroh thought, his nephew's stint on the island would make the boy reflect on his destiny and realize which path he had to take. Even after his tremendous improvement due to the conflict-driven fever after saving the Avatar's bison in Lake Laogai, Zuko still seemed to have some doubts about his future. Despite his drastic change in disposition, Iroh had sensed a certain hesitation in his nephew's acceptance of their new life in Ba Sing Se. And then all the effects of the fever seemed to have been worn off when Zuko decided to face his sister at the Earth King's palace.

He still has some unresolved issues to face, Iroh pondered, and now that he has all the time to reflect on them, he might finally accept his true destiny. The elder firebender was thankful that Zuko had his Aunt Melisande to guide him through his moral struggles. She, more than anyone, understood the difficulty of choosing what is right over what is familiar. But she survived the consequences of her actions and held strongly to her convictions despite her exile. Iroh had no doubt that she would be able to guide Zuko to choose wisely.

Then, there was the waterbender. Even until now, Iroh was uncertain of her purpose on the island. Based on the few past encounters he had had with her, she didn't seem like the type of person who would have anything to atone for on the Isle of Azufre. Added to that, she was a waterbender and would therefore be immune to any of the island's adverse effects. Her presence would certainly benefit both Zuko and Melisande but what would she have to gain by staying on the island as well? Iroh had spent many nights pondering on this, rubbing his chin pensively, and scratching his head. And despite all these knowledge-inducing gestures, he still had not figured out the reason Katara had been dragged into the island with Zuko.

Sometimes he could not help but think that perhaps she was merely at the wrong place at the wrong time. But this idea would be too cruel to tell her brother and friends. How could they accept that a random whim of destiny had taken their dear one away from them indefinitely?

Then, Iroh would shake his head. There had to be a purpose for her presence there. Ursa, who seemed to know more about the matter than he did, would never have involved Katara in any of the firebender atonement and cleansing rites unless she had a very good reason to do so. And Iroh trusted in his sister-in-law's judgment.

Besides, looking at how Aang, Sokka, and Toph were dealing with Katara's absence, Iroh surmised that perhaps her departure had served as a test more for her friends than for her. From the little he had seen of her, Iroh had deduced that she was the mother figure of the group, the responsible and mature individual on whom all of them depended. Perhaps, destiny was trying to tell them that they should learn how to face life's trials on their own, without her constant and steady support. It seemed like a cruel but effective exercise in learning fortitude and independence. And seeing them devoting their energies to all their tasks, Iroh saw that the circumstances had become favorable. They were learning to be less dependent on her.

Iroh had eventually concluded that, whatever ineffable purpose destiny had for Katara's being on the island, Zuko would have the opportunity of proving himself to at least one member of the Avatar's party. And if Zuko was able to gain the young waterbender's trust, the trust of the rest of the Avatar's friends would soon follow.

Zuko needed true friends, Iroh thought, and if he would be able to gain one during his stay on the island, then it would not have been for naught. The elder firebender was also confident that, if his nephew and the waterbender learned to see beyond their differences, they would surely develop a lasting friendship.

Shaking his gray-haired head, he set his thoughts on his nephew aside and focused on the task at hand. They were merely finalizing the plans for the imminent invasion, troubleshooting, tweaking, and double-checking for kinks or weaknesses. It was all just a matter of time. And yet, despite their excessive preparation, they still continued with these secret meetings. Perhaps gathering like this was an effective way of distracting them all from the emptiness they felt when they were alone.

"Whew," Sokka said, finally leaning back into his chair and setting the charts and scrolls aside, "so far, everything's been going as planned. And luckily, no spies have been able to send any of our top secret information to the Fire Lord. I can't believe I'm saying this but things are going well for once. It's fun to be an optimist sometimes."

"I'm glad you feel that way, Sokka," Aang replied with a smile, "see? It doesn't hurt to have an upbeat attitude."

"It certainly doesn't, Aang," the Water Tribe boy answered, "especially now that we're sure of an even larger invasion force than we had previously anticipated."

"Yeah," Toph said, "who could have known that all those weirdos I beat up in Earth Rumble would prove to be useful in the war."

"Not to mention Master Pakku and his waterbenders from the North Pole," Sokka added, "Chief Arnook has also sent his best non-waterbending soldiers to help us. Our sister tribe is finally giving us a hand. For the first time in ages, the Southern and Northern Water Tribes are working together towards a single goal."

"And I'm especially glad," Aang added enthusiastically, "that Bumi finally made contact. He and his subjects are more than ready to defend their country. I guess he was absolutely right about waiting for the perfect moment to strike."

"Well," Sokka replied with a grin, "you always have to take powerful old men for the word. They're usually right, eh, Iroh?" With this, the young Water Tribe boy elbowed the firebender.

"Very wise for one so young," Iroh replied, stroking his beard. Toph smirked at him.

The old firebender grinned and nodded as sagely as he could muster. Unfortunately, he could not help but burst into a fit of contagious laughter which sent the others into hysterics as well.

But in the midst of their lighthearted banter, Toph sensed a new presence approaching them. In an instant, her face turned grave with concentration. She motioned at them to be still as she gauged whether the intruder was a friend or a foe. Her toes tensed against the earth and she pursed her lips. Her brows were knotted in concentration.

Seeing Toph turn serious, the others were immediately on their guard. In a moment, all pleasantry and humor had drained from the faces of the three men and they anxiously waited for Toph's appraisal of the newcomer.

The blind earthbender tried to learn as much as she could from the intruder's gait. As far as Toph could tell, the person was not in any hurry, but there was a certain swiftness in his or her step that implied that he or she knew exactly where he or she was heading. The step was gentle, that of a woman, and by the weight of the person, Toph guessed that this woman was probably middle-aged. She was alone. And to Toph's surprise, the footsteps stopped exactly in front of the barrier she had erected, and the person was standing right beyond that wall, as if waiting to be let in.

Toph found this extremely curious but since she could not sense any aggression or negative vibes from the stranger, she decided to take the risk of showing the stranger in. Anyway, if the lady tried anything funny, Toph would easily be able to send her flying with a simple movement of her toes.

"I don't know who it is," Toph announced, "but I don't think she's dangerous."

"She?" Sokka asked. Toph nodded.

"I think that she believes we are expecting her," Toph continued, "so it would only be polite to let her in." The girl turned her head to the others.

They all muttered words of acquiescence but nevertheless, they all stood in fighting stances. Toph took a deep breath and with a flick of her fingers, the wall of earth that divided them from the stranger, fell. And as it disintegrated, Aang and Iroh got out of their fight stances. Even Sokka seemed a little embarrassed at holding out his boomerang and let it fall to his side. Toph likewise relaxed.

In front of them stood a cloaked figure. The hood was thrown off and revealed beautiful regal lady, with pale skin, long dark hair, golden eyes, and an enigmatic smile. The others seemed dumbstruck by her presence and after a few moments, the lady herself broke the silence.

"It's good to see you again, Avatar, Iroh," she greeted with a smile.

Fortunately, Iroh recovered from the surprise in time to reply.

"Likewise, Ursa," he said.

--

After Ursa's arrival and all the necessary introductions and explanations were made, Toph re-sealed the room and they began to discuss what she came there for. Sokka seemed slightly smitten by the mysterious woman, Toph was curious about her, Aang regarded her with a high level of respect, so Iroh was the only one who was truly comfortable with her, having known her longer than the others.

"I apologize if my visit is a little unexpected," she began, but was unable to continue because the others vocally expressed their delight at seeing her again or meeting her. Ursa smiled at their enthusiasm and waited for them to grow calmer before she proceeded.

"There is a very important matter that I must inform you about," she explained, "regarding my son and your friend."

At this, they all paid very good attention to her, each eager to hear news about Zuko and Katara.

"Is it good news or bad news?" Sokka asked excitedly, quite forgetting his manners.

"Both, I'm afraid," Ursa replied with a sad smile.

Sokka's eyes widened but he quickly answered, "Well, with all due respect, could we hear the bad news first, so that the good news will hopefully soften the blow."

The others nodded in agreement and Ursa smiled.

"That is exactly what I intended to do," she said, "you have quite read my mind."

"Well…," Sokka repeated, slightly blushing at the compliment. Aang rolled his eyes and Toph slapped her forehead.

"Just stop interrupting and let her talk," Toph scolded. Sokka fell silent. Ursa looked at them with amusement.

"Unfortunately," she began, "Zuko and Katara's little sojourn with my sister on the Isle of Azufre is not yet finished and it may still be some time before they both return, although they will surely be back before your invasion of the Fire Nation."

At this, the shoulders of the four people fell and dismay was etched on all of their faces. Ursa looked at them sympathetically.

"But the good news is," she continued, "that you will have an opportunity of speaking to them very, very soon."

At this, the instant change in their moods was apparent, with all of them suddenly smiling, their eyes brightening, and their faces beaming. And with yet another neglect of their manners, they began bombarding Ursa with questions on the details of this imminent communication and she was quite overwhelmed with their enthusiasm. As usual, it was Iroh who restored order to their discussion.

"I believe," he began, after clearing his throat rather loudly, "that my sister-in-law has come here specifically to give us the details of this upcoming event. So we must allow her to do so without undue interruption."

Seeing reason, Aang, Sokka, and Toph settled down and waited for Ursa to continue.

"I will not bore you with all the details of what is happening on the island at present," she said, throwing a significant glance at Iroh, "suffice to say that my sister, my son, and your friend, are currently experiencing a storm unlike any they've ever encountered in their entire lives."

"A storm?" Aang asked curiously, the word triggering certain dark memories. He frowned and rubbed his chin.

Iroh also seemed gravely affected by the mention of the storm. The older firebender seemed to know more about the matter than he let on but he remained silent. Sokka and Toph waited patiently for Ursa to continue.

"They've got their hands full trying to weather this storm," Ursa explained, "but they will eventually reach a temporary calm state, the eye of the storm. That is when you will be able to contact them."

"So, when is the eye of the storm?" Sokka asked the obvious question.

"It will be on the night of the next full moon," Ursa replied simply.

"That's two nights from now!" exclaimed Sokka, after consulting his charts. Ursa nodded in agreement.

"My purpose for coming here tonight is to tell you where you are to make contact with Katara and Zuko," she continued, "and that will be on the shores of Lake Laogai."

She then asked for a map of Ba Sing Se and the surrounding areas, which Sokka procured and laid down on the table. Ursa then pointed out the exact location of the rendezvous point which Sokka duly marked. Afterwards, she told them the exact hour they were to proceed to that spot and what they were to expect on that night.

"But wait a minute," Toph added, realizing something, "won't you be coming with us?" The others likewise turned to face Ursa, the same question expressed on their faces.

The regal lady gently shook her head with a sad smile.

"Despite and because of my powerful bond with my sister and son," she answered mysteriously, "I am undergoing similar trials to theirs. So I must go into isolation for a certain period of time."

"What kind of trials?" Aang asked innocently. But Toph nudged him and he realized the sensitivity of the subject.

Iroh looked grave, completely understanding what she meant. He muttered something about atonement rites and cleansing and she muttered something in reply.

"But what do you have to atone for?" Iroh asked, perplexed, "you have done nothing but protect those dearest to you."

"Not all those dearest to me, Iroh," Ursa replied seriously, "have you forgotten that I have another child?"

Iroh raised his eyebrows. Then he nodded. Ursa was right. Sadistic psychopath though Azula may be, she was still Ursa's daughter. And the old man realized that his sister-in-law still felt some guilt for showing a preference for Zuko over his sister.

"I wasn't quite fair to her," Ursa whispered sadly, "and perhaps my negligence as her mother is partly to blame for how she turned out."

Iroh looked at her sympathetically. He laid a hand on hers in comfort, but she withdrew hers quickly. As she hid her hands within the folds of her dark dress, Iroh was able to catch a glimpse of patterned, purplish burn marks. His golden eyes widened in recognition and understanding. Then, he nodded.

"No one is spared," was all Ursa said to explain. Iroh looked at her sadly.

Sensing the exchange of tense emotions between the two firebenders, Toph was puzzled. They were both clearly troubled by something but they refused to talk about it. They were secretive and silent.

Whatever it was, the young earthbender concluded, these firebenders had some serious issues.

For the rest of the night, Ursa explained the details of the coming "eye of the storm" and the others listened eagerly. Together, they finalized and discussed preparations. After a while, Ursa prepared to take her leave. The others thanked her wholeheartedly and expressed their concern over her condition.

"Are you absolutely sure that there is nothing we can do to help you?" Aang asked timidly.

Ursa smiled at him. "I am very grateful for your concern, young Avatar," she replied gently, "but this is something I must face alone."

"Well," he answered, "please take care of yourself." She thanked him.

Iroh also wished her well. Toph even muttered an awkward but sincere "take care" to the lady, who laid her hand gently on the earthbender's shoulder in gratitude.

Sokka also expressed his sincerest thanks although he found it ironic to be so friendly with the mother of a former sworn enemy. As she prepared to depart, Ursa noticed a questioning look on the Water Tribe warrior's face.

"I sense that there is something you want to ask me, young warrior," she said.

"Well," Sokka began hesitantly, "I was just wondering, I mean, if you don't mind my asking, of course."

"Go right ahead," Ursa permitted.

"Which connection is stronger?" Sokka asked, "your bond with your twin sister or your bond with your son?"

"SOKKA!" Aang and Toph scolded. Iroh just shook his head.

"WHAT? I was just asking," Sokka said defensively.

"You're being so insensitive," Toph said, punching him hard. Sokka winced and muttered an apology to Ursa. She shook her head.

"It's quite all right," she said, trying to calm the others down, "I am not offended at all. Although I doubt I can give you a satisfactory answer."

The others looked at her seriously as she turned around to leave. With her back to them, she turned her face to the side to answer them.

"It is just impossible to compare."


	19. Chapter 19

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar. That is that.

AN: Back to the island. The first part will go quickly because I don't want to bore you with what is basically a recap of Book One and Two. You all know the sequence of events anyway. Zuko and Katara will merely be taken through a quick ride down memory lane before they finally wake up. Think of it as Zuko and Katara giving the DVD commentary for Books One and Two. It turned out a lot longer than I expected. Hope it doesn't bore you too much.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Every event that followed that first meeting at the South Pole soon flashed by before the two shackled benders. They barely stayed a few moments in every memory, and they seemed to be floating in a rapidly flowing river of time, so that they only caught glimpses of each of the other's memory. As they were dragged by that invisible force, each bender was glad for the company and they derived comfort, and even humor from the comments of the other.

They watched as Katara and Sokka came to Aang's rescue just as Zuko was bringing the Avatar out of the South Pole.

"Having known him for so short a time," Zuko observed to his companion, "you already showed a great loyalty to the Avatar."

"Having known of him for so short a time," she replied teasingly, "you already showed a great determination to capture him."

Zuko said nothing and Katara lay a hand on his shoulder sympathetically.

"I already know why you did it, though," she said gently, "that's the difference."

They relived the first time Aang had shown the Avatar State and had single-handedly destroyed Zuko's ship. Zuko, as he watched this event unfold, could not help but cringe as he saw the Avatar damage the ship.

"You have no idea how much trouble that cost me," he told Katara. She smiled at him.

"Don't worry," she replied, as the scene changed to a Fire Nation port, "I think I'm going to find out in a bit."

Having been at different places at the same time, Zuko and Katara each saw what the other had been experiencing.

"Wow," Katara reacted with admiration, "you beat Zhao so easily in that Agni Kai. No wonder he became so competitive."

"Dangerously so," Zuko answered, "but it must have been painful for the Avatar to see the remains of his old home like that."

Katara sighed. "He's had a hard life," she said. Zuko was silent as they were transported to the Island of Kyoshi.

"I wonder where Suki is now," Katara commented after pointing out the Kyoshi Warrior to her companion, "I'm sure Sokka misses her a lot."

"She's his girlfriend, isn't she?" Zuko asked slyly.

"Yep," Katara replied with a laugh at Zuko's question. They didn't really want to dwell on the more unpleasant aspects of every memory. The past was painful enough.

Next was Omashu. Zuko marveled at the grandeur of that Earth Kingdom city.

"Yeah, I was amazed too," Katara said, noting his reaction, "but it had been my first time out of the South Pole. Why do you look so surprised? You've been all over the world."

"Well, I was never really able to enter Omashu," Zuko replied, "I was an enemy of the Earth Kingdom. And besides, King Bumi was determined to thwart my efforts in searching for the Avatar. He seemed particularly protective of the Avatar for some reason."

"That's because he and Aang were childhood friends," Katara explained. Zuko nodded in understanding.

Then, they were standing at a metal, Fire Nation prison. Katara blushed as she saw herself making a speech to the imprisoned earthbenders and convincing them to fight back.

Zuko, on the other hand, was very impressed by her courage and conviction. He looked at the waterbender and she seemed uncomfortable by his earnest gaze, so she turned away. Zuko raised his eyebrows and shrugged.

Later on, Katara saw Zuko picking up her mother's necklace at the abandoned prison.

"Yes," he teased, "I didn't steal it after all."

"Well," she said defensively, "how could I have known _that? _All I knew was that you would do anything to capture the Avatar."

"True, but I still don't go around stealing girl's necklaces," he said, rolling his eyes.

Katara laughed at the former feud. "Well," she answered, "I guess I should thank you. If you hadn't picked it up, who knows what would have happened to it?"

There was a surge of force which propelled them to the scene of a bare forest. They were moved forward a bit and Katara was shown throwing acorns at Aang.

Zuko looked at her curiously and she shrugged with a laugh. Then, they seemed to be transported to a nearby wood. But the view was blurred by a large amount of steam. Zuko watched his old self walk towards the source of the steam and suddenly remembered where he was going.

Immediately, the firebender put his hands over Katara's eyes. She tried to pull them off.

"What are you doing?" she protested.

"Trust me," he explained, "you don't want to see this." She laughed heartily.

He waited until the scene with his uncle in the hot springs was over before releasing his hold on Katara's eyes and sighing with relief. She giggled at his concern. Then, she watched as the memory-Zuko tracked his uncle down.

"You really care a lot about your uncle, don't you?" Katara asked. Zuko nodded.

"He's been more like a father to me than my real father," he said simply.

The scenes shifted again. They saw themselves running the blockade which guarded Avatar Roku's temple. They relived their capture by Zhao and their subsequent escape when Avatar Roku borrowed Aang's body and defeated Zhao's forces.

The memories flashed by faster. Katara vaguely saw Zuko's uncle having a smorgasbord of random things loaded into the ship, including a Sunghi horn while Zuko saw Katara practicing waterbending by a lake.

Then, they reached a painfully embarrassing memory which they did not wish to dwell upon. Unfortunately, the forces that controlled what they were to see, paused for a while on this scene.

The two benders turned away from each other as they watched the familiar scene. Katara was tied to a tree and Zuko was attempting to get information from her about Aang's whereabouts. After the memory was over, Katara cleared her throat to try and ease the tension.

"Pirates," she said (going for nonchalant).

"Yeah, pirates," Zuko replied.

Then, they found themselves in another forest. And Katara was soon blushing very red at the sight of that familiar, grain-chewing freedom fighter.

"Jet," they both said. Then, they looked at each other with surprise.

"You knew Jet?" they repeated simultaneously, before bursting into laughter.

"We met on the way to Ba Sing Se," Zuko explained, "although we didn't really part on good terms."

"Yeah," Katara replied, a little sadly, remembering that last meeting with Jet under Lake Laogai, "neither did we."

Zuko suspected there was something more to Katara's friendship with the bushy-haired vagabond than she let on but he didn't pry.

Then, they were brought to a certain Earth Kingdom pass, and Zuko watched as Katara and Sokka led warring tribes towards one direction.

"Ah, the Great Divide," Katara said with mock-nostalgia, "I don't even want to talk about it." Fortunately, the memory didn't last long and they soon found themselves in the middle of a raging storm.

"Are we back on the island?" Katara asked frantically.

"No," Zuko replied, seeing his ship in the middle of the pouring rain, "it's another memory."

Katara looked around and recognized the storm. She soon saw herself, Aang, and Appa searching for Sokka and the old fisherman.

"So you were caught in that storm too, huh?" she asked Zuko.

"Yeah," he replied, "although it dampened more than just our clothes."

Katara raised her eyebrows but didn't have time to ask any more questions because they had arrived in the next memory.

She watched as a mysterious masked swordsman helped Aang escape from Zhao's prison. And she gasped just like Aang when he lifted the mask off his rescuer.

"You saved Aang!" she told Zuko with admiration. He nodded but looked grave.

"Don't give me too much credit," he replied, "I don't know why exactly I did it. And I'm sure a big part of the reason was so that I could capture him myself."

She looked at him with shock.

"It's true," he said seriously, "and I know that it was extremely self-serving of me. Inexcusable behavior."

"It's okay," Katara said comfortingly, "whatever your reasons, you still saved Aang, and indirectly, you saved Sokka and me too. If it weren't for you, Aang wouldn't have delivered the, um, cure to us."

"You had to suck on those frogs?" Zuko asked incredulously.

"I don't care to dwell on it."

The memories flashed. Zuko was able to see, albeit briefly, the Avatar's experience with a certain fortuneteller. The whole time this memory played out, Katara could not suppress a blush. Zuko wondered what the fuss was all about.

Then, they once again saw Jun, the bounty hunter, and her dreaded Shirshu. Katara watched with the awe that she wasn't able to show when she had been paralyzed by the large beast, as Zuko and Aang dueled at the abbey.

Zuko slapped his head when he saw himself defeated (again) by the Avatar.

"It doesn't really help with my self-esteem," he told Katara, to which she chuckled. But she was the one embarrassed by the next scene because it showed Aang returning her necklace to her.

Zuko looked at her with puzzlement, wondering what she was embarrassed about.

"This part is really not important," she told him loudly, trying to drown out the conversation between her and the Avatar in the memory, "you really shouldn't pay attention to it."

Unfortunately for Katara, Zuko was still able to hear what she had said in that memory.

"_Aw, that's so sweet of Zuko. Would you give him a kiss for me?"_

At this, the waterbender, even in her bluish, translucent, spirit form, turned bright red. Zuko just had an expression of shock on his face.

"It was a joke," she muttered awkwardly. He nodded slightly, his eyes still wide. Katara was simply ecstatic to see the next memory. Then, her smile faded when she saw herself crying and soaking two burned hands into a lake.

"What happened?" Zuko asked her with concern. She laughed awkwardly.

"It was an accident," she explained, "but on the bright side, that was when I learned I had healing abilities." An old man appeared in the memory.

"You guys met Jeong Jeong?" Zuko asked with wonder.

"We thought he could be Aang's firebending teacher," she answered, "but things didn't really work out."

The event flashed by. There was a brief glimpse of the Northern Air Temple and its inhabitants. Zuko observed the war balloons used during the battle. He frowned. Something told him his father would delight in such a useful weapon.

Then, they found themselves at the North Pole. Again, each bender was watching the memories of the other. While Zuko witnessed Katara's passionate outbursts about training under Master Pakku and the intense waterbending duel between them, Katara watched with shock as Zuko survived an assassination attempt perpetuated by familiar, nasty pirates.

"You've got guts to be able to stand up to your leaders like that," Zuko commented, "although I wonder why you have such restrictions on gender in the Water Tribe."

"It's really primitive and annoying," Katara commented, "and I guess you don't have the same problem in the Fire Nation, right?"

"You've met my sister and her friends," was all Zuko said in reply. Katara nodded.

"Who hired those pirates?" she asked, after a pause.

"Zhao," he answered, "he wanted me out of the way so that he could capture the Avatar on his own."

Katara was just about to ask how Zuko was able to make it to the North Pole after barely escaping a massive explosion, when she saw it herself. She watched with admiration and awe as Zuko had swum through the North Pole's waterways and had relied only on his breath of fire to balance his body temperature.

Once again, she admired his strength and determination. He had endured just as much hardship as she and Aang and Sokka had and yet he was still not giving up. Not even when everything seemed to stand in his way.

They relived their series of duels at the Spirit Oasis, and later on through the blizzard. She was surprised at how he survived through extremely cold climate of the North Pole.

"Luckily, I had my breath of fire," he explained to her, "otherwise, I would have died of frostbite."

"I feel bad about beating you now," Katara teased, "you weren't in prime condition so you weren't using 100 of your true power."

"So, you're finally admitting that I would have beaten you had I been in better shape?" Zuko challenged.

"I didn't say anything like that," she replied arrogantly. He rolled his eyes and smirked. Then, they watched as the Siege of the North unfolded.

"I guess I should thank you guys for saving my life," Zuko said, on a more serious note, "though I did nothing to deserve your pity." Katara glanced at him sympathetically.

"One of the great things about Aang," she said, "is that he is always able to see the good in people even when everyone else cannot."

"That is why he is truly destined to restore balance to this world," Zuko replied as they watched the vengeful Ocean Spirit wreak havoc on the attacking Fire Nation troops.

"So many things changed after that," Katara mused.

"More than you can imagine," Zuko added, almost to himself. She raised her eyebrows then, shook her head. She would soon find out anyway.

The next scenes flashed by faster. Aang, Katara, and Sokka's departure from the North Pole. Zuko and Iroh's escape.

Then, there was the Earth Kingdom general trying to get Aang to enter the Avatar State. Zuko watched this part with interest while Katara was appalled by the duel between brother and sister after Azula almost deceived Zuko into becoming her prisoner.

Zuko saw the waterbender's reaction and shrugged.

"That's my family for you," he commented.

Katara was still watching with shock as Zuko and Iroh cut off their topknots and renounced their allegiance to their nation.

"It must have been so hard for you to turn your back on everything you had ever known," she asked with concern, "especially since you had been nothing but loyal to the Fire Nation."

"I have had to make a lot of difficult decisions," Zuko replied, "and they don't get easier as they come. But uncle and I had no choice. We were fugitives and traitors."

Then, Katara watched with amusement as Zuko and Iroh had to deal with life as fugitives. She even laughed out loud when she saw Iroh covered in sores from touching a poisonous flower. Her companion was able to chuckle softly beside her.

"That's Uncle," he commented, "always looking for tea in the wrong places."

He, in turn, found the Avatar's adventures with a group of musical nomads quite strange.

"Sokka really hated them," Katara explained, as she remembered the difficult journey back to Omashu.

Then, they found themselves in the Fire Nation-colonized Earth Kingdom city. Zuko watched as the Avatar liberated the citizens of Omashu and then, battled with Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee.

Then, Zuko observed with raised eyebrows as Katara, Sokka, and Aang wandered through a dense swamp.

Katara, on the other hand, was giggling as she watched Iroh's antics as an old beggar man.

"I take it you didn't enjoy begging for food," she commented to Zuko.

"No, I didn't," Zuko replied, looking ashamed, "so I resorted to stealing. I can't believe how messed up I was! This is really disgraceful."

Katara placed a hand on his shoulder.

"The good thing," she said, "is that you're willing to admit that you made mistakes and that you're determined to change for the better."

"Thanks," he muttered gratefully.

Afterwards, scenes from a strange town flashed quickly. Zuko barely saw huge statues of the Avatar's incarnations being burned. He turned to Katara inquisitively, with raised eyebrows. She shook her head.

"Don't ask," she said, "just don't ask."

Then, they both watched as the gang met Toph at the Earth Rumble tournament. Zuko looked curiously and admiringly at the young earthbender.

"I guess you haven't met Toph yet," Katara said.

"I just remembered seeing her when we attacked Azula at that abandoned town," Zuko answered.

"I think you'd like her," Katara said, after some thought, "You guys actually seem to have so much in common."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

"Whatever you say, then," he replied. Then, his expression turned serious, as he saw himself traveling alone on the ostrich horse.

"One of the stupidest decisions I ever made," he told Katara, "was separating from Uncle. I guess I thought I could do everything alone. But I realized that having someone there to support you isn't so bad."

"You sound like Toph," she replied, "independent and strong-willed. But I'm glad you realized what was missing. You don't have to face everything alone. And I wasn't really fair to her at first. I was mean and prejudiced. I guess that's something I have to work on."

"Don't worry," Zuko answered with a smile, "since you were able to see beyond the faults of your sworn enemy, I don't think you're that prejudiced anymore."

She smiled gratefully.

Katara was interested by Zuko's actions to save the Earth Kingdom village from the corrupt thugs. She was surprised that he would risk discovery just to do something so noble. And then, she became angry and upset when she saw the townspeople's reaction to Zuko's revelation of his identity.

"After all you did for them," she fumed, "they still rejected you and hated you. Even that kid."

Although this wasn't the pleasantest memory for Zuko, he was amused by the waterbender's reaction to his past.

"Why is it so surprising, Katara?" he said but without bitterness, "whatever act of kindness I do to anyone will always be suspect because I am the son of the Fire Lord. Spreading fear, violence, and hatred is in my blood, remember?"

Katara cringed as she listened to her words repeated. She opened her mouth to apologize but Zuko cut her off.

"I'm not blaming you for saying those things, Katara," he said, "but all those accusations are what the rest of the world thinks of me. I've accepted that, and I will do my best to change those incorrect perceptions."

"I'm glad to hear it," she replied with a smile. They moved on to the next memory. Zuko watched with pity as the Avatar and his friends spent sleepless nights evading Azula, but all in vain.

"My sister is a talented tracker," he observed.

"I'll say," Katara commented, "nothing threw her off our trail for a moment. I guess grim determination runs in the family."

"That's probably the only thing Azula and I have in common aside from our parents," Zuko said. Katara gave him a sideways glance.

Then, they re-watched the showdown between Azula and the combined forces of Zuko, Iroh, Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph. Once again, they saw Iroh struck down by his niece and the combined attack of all the elements.

"You refused my help," Katara commented, "and you sent us away."

"I was an idiot," Zuko admitted, "and even after all the hardship Uncle and I had experienced, I couldn't stomach the idea of joining the person I had sworn to capture."

"It's understandable," Katara said, "changing sides isn't really an easy decision for anyone."

After that, Zuko watched as Aang trained in earthbending while Katara watched him train further with his uncle. She watched his every frustrated attempt to redirect lightning.

"So this is when your uncle told you about the importance of balance between the four elements," she commented.

"I didn't realize the importance of all he was telling me then," Zuko admitted, "but I'm really glad I was able to retain those lessons."

"And apply them," Katara added, "I don't think your Aunt Melisande went easy on you just because you were family. You beat her fair and square in that Agni Kai."

A great breeze seemed to bring them back to the desert. Zuko watched as the Avatar and his friends explored a hidden library and discovered a secret about the Fire Nation. He also saw the wrath of the Owl Spirit, Wan Shi Tong.

"Sometimes," Katara mused, "I wonder if the vital detail we obtained from that library was worth all the trouble."

Zuko looked at her curiously. She was quite serious.

"I mean," she continued, "learning about that solar eclipse was a breakthrough, but considering all the hardship we experienced afterwards, I don't really know if it was something we needed to know."

Zuko soon understood what she meant when he saw the conflict caused by Appa's abduction by the sandbenders and the subsequent wandering of the Avatar's group in the desert.

"So you guys went to the Misty Palms Oasis as well," Katara pointed out.

Katara, on the other hand, enjoyed the light mood of Zuko's memories at this point of the journey. She laughed as she watched Zuko and Iroh stow away in large plant pots. Beside her, Zuko cringed and rolled his eyes.

"I was hoping you wouldn't see that," he muttered. She giggled louder.

"But then again," Zuko added, "Uncle's club proved to be more helpful than I initially thought."

Then, they watched as each group made their way to the walled city of Ba Sing Se. Zuko watched as the Avatar's group opted to take the more dangerous path to the city in order to help an Earth Kingdom family they met along the way.

"I can't believe that you and your uncle took the ferry to Ba Sing Se," Katara declared excitedly, "just think, if Aang, Sokka, Toph, and I had taken it, we could have bumped into you."

Zuko raised his eyebrows. "You do realize that we were still enemies then," he replied, "we might have probably started a fight on the boat. Besides, uncle and I met someone you might be interested in."

Katara looked questioningly back at him and continued watching the memory when she let out a loud gasp.

"Jet!" she cried. Zuko rolled his eyes again.

As Zuko watched the Avatar and his friends made their way through the perilous Serpent's Pass, Katara watched as Zuko and Jet teamed up to steal decent food to share with the poor passengers.

"Well," she said, "you two certainly have the same sense of justice."

"Or we were both just hungry," Zuko added mischievously. Katara chuckled.

"Sadly, that little friendship was short-lived," Zuko had to add with seriously. Katara stopped laughing.

"He found out you were Fire Nation, didn't he?" Katara asked. Zuko nodded.

They then watched how Aang had stopped Azula and the large, invasive Fire Nation Drill she commanded to destroy the city. Katara sighed as she watched the memory.

"Little did we know then," she remarked, "that that was merely the beginning of our troubles."

"Sounds like we all had very interesting adventures in the walled city," Zuko commented and Katara nodded in agreement as they watched each other's experiences in the city of walls and secrets.

"I guess it was crazy of me to think our paths would have crossed in Ba Sing Se," Katara observed, "that city is huge."

"And it looks like you guys lived in the upper ring of the city," Zuko added, "Uncle and I just had a small apartment in the lower ring. We moved in very different circles."

Katara laughed as she saw Zuko and Iroh working at a tea shop. Zuko cringed as he watched the eerie and suspicious tour guide, Joo Dee.

"That apron really suited you," Katara teased as the firebender pouted. She then turned grave as she watched the intense duel between Zuko and Jet outside the tea shop. She looked dark as she watched Jet being taken away by the Dai Li. Zuko expressed his concern.

"Jet was brainwashed by the Dai Li," she explained, "and I didn't believe anything he said at first. I was too angry at him for what he did before."

"He said he came to Ba Sing Se to start over," Zuko told her.

She sighed. "I guess he did," she whispered, "but it didn't last."

Then, Zuko watched the Avatar's frustration about seeking an audience with the Earth King and the manipulation and scheming of the Dai Li, under its ruthless leader, Long Feng.

Katara's melancholy didn't last for long. She was distracted by the sight of Zuko going on a date with a pretty Earth Kingdom girl.

"Ooh," she teased, nudging Zuko with her elbow, "looks like you were busy."

Zuko blushed slightly and turned his face away. Katara chuckled as she watched the whole date.

"Some juggler you are," she teased. But she did stop laughing when she saw the last part of that date.

"What?" Zuko asked defensively, "it's not embarrassing enough?"

"It's," she began hesitantly, a blush coming to her face, but she regained her composure, "it's complicated."

Zuko rolled his eyes and fervently wished that the memory would pass. So did Katara.

After a while, they once again saw different memories simultaneously. Zuko watched Katara's heated confrontation with Jet and the subsequent retrieval of his memories. Katara watched as Zuko once again donned his Blue Spirit disguise to search for Appa.

Then, they were in Lake Laogai. Zuko witnessed the battle against the Dai Li and Jet's demise. The firebender felt bad about the Freedom Fighter despite their disagreements. After all, if circumstances had been different, they would have probably gotten along.

Katara, on the other hand, saw Zuko liberate Appa from the prison and then, throw his Blue Spirit mask into the depths of the lake. She also watched as Zuko fell into a serious fever after doing this.

"I don't understand," Katara said perplexedly, "you freed Appa and did a great service to us, although we didn't know it at the time, then you fall ill?"

"Uncle said that it was a manifestation of the conflict in my soul," Zuko explained, "and honestly, it was very similar to what I'm going through now. Except I didn't have a companion with me at the time."

Katara smiled at him. "Don't worry," she assured him, "I'm sure that you won't have to go through something like this again."

"Neither should you," he replied, "but let's move on. We're nearing the end of this journey." She nodded.

They watched as the Avatar's group had to go on their separate ways and how Zuko greatly improved in his perspective on life after his confinement.

As Katara watched herself approach Iroh's tea shop, she felt a tad bit uneasy. Zuko simply looked surprised.

"You went to the Jasmine Dragon?" he asked her. She looked down and shifted her feet.

"Yeah, but I only got as far as the entrance," she muttered. Zuko continued to watch in amazement.

"Listen, Zuko," she said hastily, "I have a confession to make."

"What is it?"

Katara sighed heavily. "I," she began uneasily, "kind of turned you in."

Zuko's eyes widened at the information but he soon had a look of understanding.

"How else would Azula have known that Uncle and I were in the city?" he muttered.

"Listen, I'm sorry," Katara apologized quickly, "I didn't know you had changed and that you weren't chasing us anymore. Your sister infiltrated the city disguised as Kyoshi Warriors. I didn't know that until it was too late and she had thrown me into the catacombs and…"

"It's okay," Zuko interrupted her, putting his finger to her lips, "it's been done and we can't change the past." She nodded reluctantly.

"Besides," he continued, "if you hadn't done that, and both of us hadn't been thrown into the catacombs together, maybe none of this would have happened. And difficult though the past few weeks have been, I believe that they are some of the most important times of my life. Trust me, I wouldn't have had it any other way."

Katara's blue eyes widened at this revelation. For a few moments she could say nothing at all. Then, she smiled gratefully.

"Neither would I," was all she said.

The last few memories flashed by much faster than the past ones had, mostly because these experiences were more or less still fresh in the benders' minds. They had acquired so many insights into the other's life and they had made more than enough significant realizations about their own lives.

The trial was coming to an end.

Zuko and Katara soon found themselves standing in a cosmic pool of energy, with all their memories swirling around them. They were so taken by the magnificent sight that they didn't notice the chains dissolve from their limbs, all the doubt, uncertainty, mistrust, and confusion that shackled them disintegrated.

"I'm ready," Zuko stated with more conviction than Katara had ever seen him show, she gazed at him with admiration, "I've decided that as soon as we leave this island, I will join the Avatar and help him defeat my father and restore balance to the world."

Katara smiled with pride at his realization.

"If, of course," Zuko added with the lingering trace of doubt, "he will accept me." He turned to Katara, the same question in his eyes. She returned his gaze earnestly.

"On behalf of the Avatar," she said formally, but with a wide grin, "I welcome you to the side of peace, Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation."

He shook his head.

"Not prince," he corrected, "just Zuko." Katara nodded in understanding.

"Thank you," he said sincerely, and he offered his hand to her. She gladly took it.

Then in a flash of blinding light, it was over.

--

Katara's eyes snapped open and she squinted to make sure she was really awake. She heard the crash of thunder and the pitter-patter of rain on the roof. The moon was full tonight, and her light illuminated the dark room.

Katara got up and then noticed that her hand was still tightly clasping Zuko's. He was still asleep but there was an expression of complete tranquility and contentment on his face. The waterbender smiled and gently extricated her hand from his. She didn't want to wake him from the first peaceful sleep he was getting after so many years. But then, she felt the need for some air, and the comforting presence of her element.

Taking one last glance at Zuko's sleeping figure, she carefully opened the door and got out of his room. A while later, she had exited the house and climbed down the steps from the front door and walked towards the beach.

The waves continued to crash wildly against the shore and the rain had not slackened. In fact, it seemed to grow stronger as every moment passed. The tide kept rising higher and higher but Katara paid no attention to these matters as she bent the water around her. She felt an urgent desire to be as close to the moon as possible, to revive herself, so she froze the waves and descended to the cliff where she had watched Zuko and Melisande's Agni Kai. This was easily the highest point on the island, next to Melisande's house.

As she reached the top of the cliff, she raised her arms and took a deep breath of the cool, rainy air. She was bathed in the moonlight and never had she felt her powers surge as much as tonight. Katara closed her eyes and savored the moment.

The waterbender was so engrossed in the lunar activity that she noticed, too late, the bolt of lightning that headed straight to her. There wasn't enough time to erect any barrier and she knew that once it struck water, the electricity would still be conducted. All she could do was cross her arms in front of her in a defensive position and close her eyes, screaming in anticipation.

A few moments later, she remained unharmed. Slowly, Katara opened each of her eyes, wondering how she had escaped certain death. She gasped in surprise and awe at the magnificent sight before her.

There he stood, resplendent as a god, his arms spread, the brilliance of the lightning flowing through him and out of his pointed fingers. While marveling at his power, Katara suddenly realized what a very powerful bender Zuko had always been. He grinned at her.

"Didn't anyone tell you that it's dangerous to stand in the middle of a lightning storm?"


	20. Chapter 20

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar. That is that.

AN: The eye of the storm.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Then, the sky opened up.

Neither bender could find any other way to describe it. The lightning had finished being channeled by Zuko and Katara had rushed to his side. The waterbender had just been about to express her gratitude when the storm abated and the dark clouds parted, giving the moon absolute illumination. From the intensity of the moonlight, a large wave of water rose and then peculiarly stood still just before the cliff's edge, in front of the two benders. The humongous wall of water, gleaming under the moonlight, just stood still, like a giant screen and its presence greatly perplexed the two members of the audience.

Zuko and Katara looked at each other curiously as the wave had formed. The rain had slackened significantly and the wind had stopped howling.

"You're not bending this water, are you?" Zuko asked her, although he already knew the answer.

"I certainly am not," Katara replied, still in awe of the grand spectacle.

"And yet," he added sarcastically, "you don't feel threatened by a giant wave just hovering above us?"

She ignored his comments and continued staring, mesmerized by the glorious wall of water glowing. Beside her, Zuko slapped his forehead. His instincts told him there was mischief afoot but he also refused to leave Katara alone to face it, especially in her current condition.

_I never ever thought I'd say this, _Katara mused before replying.

"Maybe it's friendly," she muttered to Zuko's annoyance. The firebender couldn't help but slap his forehead again. He became especially worried when Katara started smiling.

_Oh, Sokka, _she thought, _I really miss you._

And just as she remembered her brother's sarcasm and silliness, they both heard a voice resound from the depths of the wave.

"Hello! Hello? Anybody there?" yelled the familiar voice. Zuko and Katara looked at each other incredulously, with wide eyes and jaws dropped.

"HELLOOOOO!!" the voice cried out persistently.

"It," Katara stammered, "it can't be.." But it indeed it was just as she imagined.

"I don't think this is working, Aang," the voice continued loudly, "are you sure we're in the right place?"

"Maybe we'd know if it was working," replied another familiar, female voice, "if you would stop yelling, Sokka."

Katara grinned wildly. "Toph!" she cried with recognition.

"Guys, guys, calm down," another voice added, "this is our only chance to contact Katara. Let's not waste a single moment."

"Aang!" Katara cried excitedly. She took a quick and thrilled glance at Zuko before she yelled back into the wave.

"Shut up, Sokka!" Toph said, "I think I heard something!"

"Sokka! Toph! Aang!" she cried, "I'm here! Can you hear me?" This was followed by some loud but unintelligible noises from the other side of the barrier. Standing beside Katara, Zuko scratched his head and wondered how this madness was going to go on.

"Everyone," added a familiar, old voice, which made Zuko's eyes widen, "maybe we should let just have one person speak at a time so that we all understand each other."

"Uncle!" Zuko cried into the wave, his voice loud and excited, "Uncle Iroh, is that you?"

There was a moment of silence. And then, the old man's voice could be heard responding enthusiastically to his nephew.

"Zuko! Zuko! It IS me," Iroh cried, "what are you doing now? What has happened?" and then followed an onslaught of hurried and incoherent questions.

The others likewise began yelling to Katara again and she and Zuko responded as they best could through the chaos of mixed voices.

"EVERYBODY QUIET!!" yelled a powerful, young girl's voice, instantly silencing everyone else, even the two inhabitants on the island.

"Okay," Toph said, having achieved the desired effect, "we don't have much time to do this and I know we all want to say as much as we can so let's just do it in a more organized manner."

Everyone was extremely impressed with Toph's show of precocious maturity and her efficiency at imposing order on them. Iroh especially felt quite proud of her.

"Toph's right, everyone," Aang could be heard talking, "we only have a few hours until the full moon is blocked by clouds again so we have to make the most of it. Who wants to go first? I think Sokka and Iroh should go first, since they're the blood relatives."

"But Aang," Sokka protested politely, "you were the one who went to rescue Katara, and you know Zuko better than I do."

What ensued was an annoying exchange of unnecessary civilities which made Zuko and Katara look at each other with raised eyebrows. Finally, a decision was reached.

"ENOUGH OF THIS!!" Toph roared, "I'll go first."

From her position, Katara laughed at the blind earthbender's authoritarian control. But the waterbender also held a profound respect for Toph and missed the girl excessively.

But despite her forceful attitude and initiative, Toph was really quite uncertain about what to say to Katara, despite the friendship the two had developed through their travels.

"Um," the earthbender began hesitantly, "hey, Katara. What's up?"

From her place on the island, Katara smiled and replied gently and warmly, "Hey, Toph, I'm doing fine. I hope you guys aren't too worried about me. Have you been keeping the boys in shape?"

From where she stood on the shores of Lake Laogai, Toph Bei Fong smiled.

"Of course, Sugar Queen."

Katara laughed at the familiar nickname. "I really miss you, Toph, and I hope that we see each other soon."

"Me too, Katara, me too," Toph replied, "oh, and to Zuko, I can't really see you, but, well, nice to meet you? Since you haven't really attacked me or anything and your Iroh's nephew, I guess I don't have any grudges against you yet."

The firebender was taken aback by this unexpected address. He looked at Katara questioningly, and she just shrugged and smiled at him.

"Er," he replied hesitantly, "nice to meet you too, I guess, um (he looked to Katara who whispered the earthbender's name), Toph."

Toph laughed. "Well, I don't have as much to say as the guys here," she concluded, "so, Katara, I'll be waiting for you to come back. Hope it's soon."

"I hope so, too, Toph," Katara replied.

"Iroh should go next," Toph ordered her companions. At this point, they didn't dare protest. Unbeknownst to the two benders on the island, the blind earthbender had already pounded Aang and Sokka with walls of earth to ensure their acquiescence. Aang, of course, had evaded them, but he knew better than to question his earthbending master's authority. Sokka was just unlucky.

"Don't worry," Iroh assured the two boys, "I'll try not to take too long."

"Zuko," cried out the overjoyed uncle in a tone that did not conceal his concern for his nephew, "how are you doing? Has your aunt been feeding you enough? Have you been getting enough sleep? And has she been giving you tea?"

And although Iroh couldn't see it, the old man knew that his nephew was rolling his eyes. Katara giggled beside him. On the other side, Sokka, Aang, and Toph were choking their laughter.

"I'm fine, Uncle," Zuko answered like a young boy being embarrassed by his parents, "you have nothing to worry about. But how have you been, Uncle? What happened to Azula, to Ba Sing Se?"

There was a moment of serious silence as Iroh contemplated the answer.

"And how's the tea shop?" Zuko added, sensing the tension his previous questions had caused and wishing to end on a lighter note.

Iroh's rich, paternal laughter filled the air.

"The Jasmine Dragon is doing very well," Iroh replied jovially, "it is becoming very popular and I'm having more customers than I can handle."

"Congratulations, Uncle," Zuko said with a proud smile.

"Thank you," Iroh continued, his tone turning serious, "but of course, I have been busy elsewhere. I've been helping the Avatar and his friends formulate a plan to invade the Fire Nation."

At this, Zuko was silent, deep in thought. Katara sense some hesitation and took up the conversation on his behalf.

"So you've finally worked out Sokka's plan to invade the Fire Nation on the day of the eclipse," Katara said, with some excitement.

"Actually, Katara," Sokka replied, "we ditched that invasion plan."

"What?" Katara replied incredulously, "but I thought that it was fool-proof."

"Apparently not," Sokka replied sadly, "the Earth King told the impostor Kyoshi Warriors all about it."

"We were able to stop Azula from taking over Ba Sing Se," Aang explained, "but she and her friends were still able to escape with the information about our invasion. So we had to come up with some new plans."

"It wasn't so hard," Sokka said with a strangely positive tone, "especially since we have a new ally on our side, with so much inside information on the Fire Nation. And he makes great tea."

Katara and Zuko heard Iroh's laugh of assent.

"But Aang," Katara remembered to ask, "how did things go with the Guru at the Eastern Air Temple?"

There was a short pause. Then, Aang replied with certainty and a maturity Katara had never heard from him before, "Things went very well. Better than I expected. And now, Iroh's teaching me firebending. I'm really close to mastering all four elements now."

"That's great news," Katara replied enthusiastically, "congratulations, Aang."

"Thanks, Katara," the Avatar replied, "but I couldn't have done it without Iroh, Sokka, and Toph's help."

"He's being too modest," Sokka added, "he mastered the Avatar State with flying colors. You should have seen how he beat Azula's vast army of Dai Li agents. There was a great big explosion, glowing arrows, cosmic energy flowing in epic proportions, Dai Li crashing to the ground, crystals getting smashed up…"

"Enough, Sokka," Toph interrupted, to everyone's relief, "I think they get the picture."

"Hey," Sokka replied defensively, "I wanted to be descriptive."

"So, Azula returned to the Fire Nation to tell Dad all about the invasion," Zuko confirmed.

"That is right," Iroh replied, "but not to worry. We've been working hard on a new set of invasion plans."

"What about spies, Uncle?" Zuko asked doubtfully, "Azula has formed allies with the Ba Sing Se secret police. She's bound to be setting surveillance on you."

"Not a problem, Zuko," Iroh explained, "we've taken all the necessary precautions. Plus, we have the rare advantage of having a human lie detector and tracker on our team."

"What?" Zuko asked incredulously.

"That's Toph for you," Katara explained, "she can sense the presence of intruders from the vibrations on the ground."

"That's very impressive," Zuko couldn't help saying.

"I know I'm great, no need to thank me," Toph commented, "hey, I like you already, Zuko.

"Hold on a minute," Sokka interrupted, "we're all talking under the assumption that Zuko's going to be joining us when they come back here. How do we know that we can trust him?"

"SOKKA!!" Aang, Toph, and Katara cried in unison. From where they were, Iroh shook his head.

"How can you be so rude and insensitive after all the loyalty and help that Iroh has shown us," Toph scolded.

"And didn't he already tell us that Zuko has some good in him," Aang added.

"And if you only knew how much he has changed while we've been here on this island," Katara argued, "I'm very sure that you would feel very differently."

"Guys," Sokka replied, raising his hands in self-defense, "stop ganging up on me."

"It's okay," Zuko replied calmly, "I know that all of you find it difficult to trust me right now and that's perfectly understandable."

At this, everyone started listening intently to the former prince's explanation. Feeling the pressure of their collective attention, Zuko took a deep breath before continuing.

"I know that I've made a lot of terrible mistakes in the past," he continued.

"Like chasing us all around the world," Sokka interrupted.

"SOKKA!"

"I'm just saying," Sokka retorted.

"Let the man finish talking," Toph ordered him. The Water Tribe warrior was silenced.

"Right," Zuko picked up where he left off, "but anyway, I admit that I was a big jerk before and that I was fighting for the wrong reasons. Lately, though, I've been going through a lot of intense experiences which have forced me to reflect on what my destiny really is."

Iroh could not help but beam proudly at his nephew's speech. The old man was so glad that after so many trials and challenges, Zuko was finally seeing the light.

"I've realized," Zuko said, "that it is high time for this century-long war to be finished. So many people have suffered because of my father's lust for power and world domination. So many people have sacrificed everything to try and stop him and yet there I was, selfishly trying to gain the love he would never give to me or to anyone else. I've realized that my destiny is to help bring an end to all this pain and suffering, by helping the Avatar stop my father and restore balance to the world. If he will have me."

Zuko finished his speech breathlessly. Nothing had ever been so difficult for him to say before.

From beyond the barrier, Iroh was wiping tears of joy from his eyes. Toph and Aang were looking very moved. Sokka, on the other hand, as usual, was rubbing his chin skeptically.

Back on the island, Zuko was looking at Katara doubtfully. She could sense his nervousness and so laid a hand on his shoulder in reassurance.

"You cannot imagine how happy I am to hear you say that, nephew," Iroh said, from beyond the barrier, "I am so glad that you have finally learned what I had been trying to teach you for years."

"Thank you, Uncle," Zuko responded gratefully, "I'm sorry that it took me so long."

"That's all right," Iroh replied with a hearty laugh, "better late than never."

"Zuko," Aang said, addressing the young firebender for the first time, "I've always had this feeling that you and I could be friends. Now I know that I wasn't wrong."

"Thank you," Zuko replied sincerely, "that means a lot to me."

"It'll be fun to have someone else in the group," Toph added, "we're looking forward to seeing you."

"Thank you," Zuko replied again, unable to suppress his profuse gratitude.

Although she couldn't see it, Katara knew that Aang and Toph were nudging Sokka to say something, to officially "welcome" Zuko into the group.

"Sokka?" Katara asked, frowning at her brother's stubbornness.

Zuko was thankful for the warm reception by the Avatar, Katara, and the blind earthbender. Bu he knew that Katara's brother was still mistrustful of him.

"Well," Sokka said doubtfully.

"Stop being an idiot, Sokka," Toph reprimanded.

"Didn't you hear what he just said?" Aang prodded.

"Please, Sokka," Iroh pleaded, "my nephew meant every word."

And still the Water Tribe warrior persisted in his skepticism.

Zuko looked down dejectedly and seeing his reaction, Katara was enraged. She clenched a fist and shook with fury.

"Sokka," she spoke passionately, "I know that you have some really big doubts about Zuko's honesty but I can vouch for him. You have no idea how much he has changed, and how much my perception of him has changed, the whole time we've been together on this island. I've learned so much from his aunt and you have no idea how much pain and suffering he has gone through. None of us have any right to judge him, and you have no reason to doubt him."

She ended her speech panting. Zuko was looking at her with wide eyes. Never had he seen her so worked up before and never had he felt so grateful for her trust.

Apparently, the others felt the intense effect of Katara's speech as well. The two benders on the island couldn't see them but Aang, Toph, Iroh, and Sokka were all dumbstruck by her words.

Iroh had been proud of his nephew's significant change and he had hoped that Zuko would earn the waterbender's trust. But he had never expected Zuko to have made such a profoundly positive effect on the girl. The old man sensed that there was more to the newly formed friendship than meets the eye.

Toph began to grin mischievously. She could likewise sense that Katara had formed a certain fondness for the firebender and the earthbender longed to tease the older girl about it. The only thing Toph regretted was that she could not feel Katara's presence on the ground. But Toph was already forming a firm resolve to ascertain the waterbender's feelings. She also wanted to know Zuko's reaction to this. The blind earthbender rubbed her hands together. Things were getting interesting.

Aang was glad that Zuko had earned Katara's trust. The Avatar knew that of all his friends, she would have been the one most difficult to convince regarding the firebender's change of character. Somehow, Aang had always sensed a powerful anger on Katara's part towards the Fire Prince, probably fuelled by her prejudice for citizens of the Fire Nation. And now, after her stay on the island with Zuko, it seemed that all these negative feelings had been resolved, a lot better than he could have imagined.

"I have to hand it to him," Aang thought, "getting Katara to trust you is an admirable feat."

As for Sokka, to whom the speech had been addressed, he was shocked by his sister's passionate defense of the person who had constantly tried to capture Aang. He had the same prejudices against Fire Nation people as his sister but then again, he had found it easy to trust Iroh. And now, when everyone was pressuring him to trust Iroh's nephew, he was finding it hard to remain skeptical. He wished that Toph could sense whether Zuko was lying or not, just to be sure.

"Come to think of it," Sokka pondered, "Zuko has never lied to us before. He always made his intentions perfectly clear. And I don't think that jerk would even risk lying in front of Katara. Maybe he really has changed."

And besides, Sokka did not want to risk Katara's ire. So he decided to give the "jerk" a shot.

"Okay, okay," he conceded, "you convinced me. Zuko's in the group. Now, will you stop the pressure?" Everyone laughed heartily at this.

Zuko sighed with relief and he could see that Katara was happy as well. As they continued exchanging pleasantries, with the tension gone, a change occurred to the barrier.

"Wait, stop talking everyone," Aang said, noting the emergence of blurred visions on the surface of Lake Laogai, "I think we're going to be able to see each other."

The others cried excitedly at the prospect and then noticed that indeed their forms were becoming visible reflections on the water.

"He's right," Katara said enthusiastically, "I can just make out their shadows and shapes in the water."

"Let us wait for a while," Iroh advised, "for our figures to fully materialize before we continue our communication." His companions nodded in assent.

Fortunately, they didn't have to wait for too long. In a few minutes, Katara and Zuko could see Aang, Sokka, Toph, and Iroh just as if they were standing a few meters away from each other.

Everyone gave a yell of triumph and joy at the sight of their friends.

"This is wonderful!" Katara cried out.

"Katara!" her brother yelled in excitement. He ran forward to embrace his sister. Seeing his gesture, Katara followed suit.

But as he watched her run towards her brother, Zuko sensed that something was not quite right.

Just as she was about to enter Sokka's embrace, Katara felt herself collide with the water from the wave and not the concrete figure of her brother. She realized (again too late) that she had run off the edge of the cliff and was about to fall to the depths.

But fortunately, a pair of strong arms came around her waist and she was pulled back to safety. Zuko sighed with relief as he brought Katara back to solid ground.

"You seem to be making a habit of saving my life," Katara remarked with a smile.

"You make it too easy," Zuko replied, rolling his eyes. Katara pouted but made no objection.

On the other side of the barrier, Sokka had found that he wasn't really hugging his sister. Instead, it seemed that he had fallen into the lake. He screamed.

Aang and Iroh grabbed him from the water and dragged him back to the shore. Toph was engaged in a fit of laughter as Aang blew a wind on Sokka to dry him up (and mess his hair.)

They turned back to the water to see how Katara and Zuko were doing. As Sokka regained his composure, fixed his hair, and looked at the water, his eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY SISTER!"

--

Despite their constant bickering and their innumerable squabbles, the children of Hakoda shared a deep and powerful bond. The brother dearly loved his sister and was fiercely protective of her, to an almost irrational degree.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" Sokka yelled, his face contorted in a most grotesque fashion.

Immediately, Aang and Iroh had to restrain him from jumping into the lake again. The Water Tribe warrior struggled furiously.

"He wasn't doing anything wrong, Sokka," Iroh explained, as he held the hysterical boy back, "calm down."

"He was probably saving her from the same fate as yours," Aang tried to reason out with the irate brother, but to no avail. Toph leaned back against a rock wall she had formed and was simply enjoying the show.

On the other side of the barrier, clearly witnessing the scuffle that was going on, Zuko and Katara watched uneasily. The firebender had immediately withdrawn his arms from Katara's waist once he had placed her on solid ground. He was now extremely worried that the little trust he had managed to extract from the skeptical Water Tribe warrior was now completely extinguished.

Katara was now fuming intensely at her brother's irrationality.

"Sokka, will you stop overreacting!" she yelled at him so loudly and fiercely that he stopped struggling. Aang and Iroh wiped sweat off their brows and sighed with relief.

"B-but," Sokka stuttered in reply, "h-he was…"

"Saving my life," Katara completed the sentence for him with a frown, "honestly, big brother, you have such crazy ideas."

"Fine," Sokka conceded, to Aang and Iroh's further relief, "I'm sorry."

The Water Tribe warrior walked back to the shore with slumped shoulders.

Toph was still in a fit of laughter at Sokka's expense and he glared at her, but that was a futile gesture.

Aang and Iroh now focused on looking at Zuko and Katara.

"That was an awkward beginning," Aang said lightheartedly, "but anyway, it's so great to see you after so long, Katara."

"Same here, Aang," Katara replied with joy, "you can't know how I've missed all of you."

While the Avatar and his friends exchanged greetings with Katara, the two firebenders were likewise engaged in pleasantries of their own.

"Zuko!" Iroh cried excitedly as he saw his nephew again, "you look well. I have really missed having you around."

"Me too, Uncle," Zuko replied, "and no offense to Aunt Melisande, but no one makes tea like you do."

Iroh blushed at this praise of his tea-making abilities. The old man knew that this was one of Zuko's ways of expressing his affection for him and Iroh was very touched. Then, he noticed a significant change in his nephew's appearance.

"Zuko," his uncle said with concern, "you've grown very thin and pale. Are you sure your Aunt hasn't been neglecting you?"

"Uncle, calm down," Zuko reassured the other man, "Aunt Melisande has been far from negligent. I've just been busy practicing my firebending."

Hearing the flow of their conversation, Katara couldn't help but interrupt.

"He even beat Aunt Melisande in an Agni Kai," she told Iroh. Aang and Sokka looked at her curiously.

"An Agni- what now?" Aang asked her.

"A fire duel," Katara explained and she continued excitedly sharing stories about the island with her brother and friends. Even Sokka lost his temporary melancholy as he recounted his plans and adventures to his sister. Toph contributed to the sharing as well, although she felt so annoyed at not sensing Katara's presence. Nevertheless, the blind earthbender was eager to share stories with her friend.

"I don't think I can tell you everything that has been happening tonight," Katara said, overwhelmed with emotion.

"You're right," Aang agreed, "there's just so much to tell. But for now, I'm just glad to see you again."

"So am I," Katara replied, "believe me. But I've made some new friends here as well. Zuko's Aunt Melisande has been very kind and attentive to me. She treats me like family."

"You mean Zuko's mother's twin sister?" Sokka asked.

"Yes, Sokka," Katara replied.

"So where is she?" Toph asked.

Katara looked down sadly. "She's still in the middle of what they call atonement rites," the waterbender explained, "but I'm sure you guys will get to meet her when we return."

"Any idea when that's going to be?" Toph inquired.

Katara shook her head. "All I know is that we have to wait for this storm to pass," she replied, "I'm just glad that we've had this opportunity to talk to you guys and to make sure that you're all okay."

"We do the best we can," Sokka said, on a serious note, "and we're glad to see that you're safe as well."

--

"You beat Melisande in an Agni Kai?" Iroh repeated incredulously.

Zuko nodded and looked away uncomfortably. Iroh laughed heartily at his nephew's modesty.

"Well, well," Iroh remarked, "it seems that you will have a lot to tell me when you return from the island. More than we have time for now. But where is your aunt now?"

Zuko's expression turned dark. "She's still in confinement," he replied, "we only just woke up."

"I understand," Iroh replied gravely, "the rites of atonement are harsher for others and yet when these victims complete the rites, they will emerge freer and more beautiful than they have ever been. Just like you."

"Thank you, Uncle," Zuko replied.

"But wait a minute," Iroh continued, "you said 'we'. How was Miss Katara involved in your purgation rites?"

Zuko again looked uneasy. "She didn't want to be left out, I guess," was all he offered by way of an explanation.

Iroh raised his eyebrows skeptically. Then, he laughed again. This little sojourn on the island seems to have made profound effects on all those involved. As he gazed on his nephew's familiar face, Iroh noticed a significant change.

"Zuko, your scar," he cried with alarm, "it, it's partially healed."

Zuko instinctively placed a hand on his face and nodded in confirmation.

"But," Iroh continued, "how?"

Zuko gestured towards Katara and Iroh understood.

"I regret that this meeting is but a short one," Iroh remarked, "for I see that you will have much to tell me on your return."

"As soon as this storm finishes, Uncle," Zuko answered, "I'll tell you everything."

They all continued talking for another hour or so. Then, the images of their companions seemed to blur and the stationary wave was beginning move. They all sensed that this was to be the end of their communication.

"Well," Sokka said in conclusion, "I hope you guys will return in time to join us for our invasion."

"I think we can make it," Katara answered, "we're halfway through the storm as it is, and your invasion is still weeks away."

"I'll be looking forward to your return, Sugar Queen," Toph said."

"So will I, Toph," Katara replied with a laugh.

"Take care of yourselves," Aang told them.

"You too, Aang," Katara answered sincerely.

"Give my regards to your aunt," Iroh cried out, as the image of his nephew and the waterbender became a collection of ripples on the lake's surface.

"I will, Uncle," Zuko called back.

Another series of bittersweet farewells was exchanged before even the sound of their voices became distant to both parties.

In the end, when his voice was but a whisper to the inhabitants of the island, Iroh spoke what everyone wished to say.

"Until we meet again."


	21. Chapter 21

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar. That is that.

AN: This might be a little boring but the end will be a surprise. And there are some parts here that are very obviously inspired by some scenes in the Season III Finale Trailer. This was fun to write and partly inspired by the song "Rain" from the musical "Once on this Island."

Furthermore, I apologize for the delay of this chapter and I apologize in advance for the coming of the next chapters. This week is extremely hectic for me because of final exams so the last four chapters might take some time coming. Rest assured, I will update at least once a week.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Then, as quickly and as suddenly as it had appeared, the wave crashed back into the sea.

The waters rose dramatically as they were pushed back by an extremely powerful force and the rain returned with a vengeance. And yet, the two figures atop the cliff were perfectly still, paying little attention the persistent raindrops, so full were they of what had just happened. Their minds were still immersed in every word uttered by their friends and family, and they reveled in the memories of having had contact with the outside world after such a long confinement on the island.

Katara tried to remember every expression shown by those she loved, finding that she missed her brother and friends even more desperately now that she had seen them again, albeit very briefly. She felt buoyed with pride when she heard all the developments they had made in Ba Sing Se, and she was extremely pleased to learn that Aang had mastered the Avatar State at last. She knew just how important such a thing was to him and how he must have struggled greatly to achieve it.

The waterbender was glad that Toph was doing an excellent job of maintaining order between the two boys although she sensed that even Toph missed her "sugariness". Katara was also happy to see that Iroh had joined their group and was teaching Aang firebending. It seemed like all their plans for the future were finally coming to fruition.

Several months ago, all of this would have been no more than a dream, a wild hope. And now, after enduring so much, they were finally at the brink of fulfilling all the things they had longed for so passionately for so long. Katara felt so enlivened by the prospect and prayed fervently that she would be able to return to her dear ones soon.

Zuko was similarly deep in thought. He pondered over what he had just done, declaring himself good and asking to join the Avatar's group. At this moment, he no longer held any doubt about his destiny, he was certain of what path to take. He had struggled long enough and endured through a trying purgation rite to realize his past mistakes. Now was the time to atone for them. But what made him feel the most content was seeing the pride and love on his uncle's face when he had expressed his desire to help the Avatar. Zuko realized that this was what Uncle Iroh had always wanted to happen and that he had finally lived up to the old man's expectations. The young firebender was glad that he was able to become the son his uncle had always hoped for him to be. Now, the former prince could only hope that his exile on this isle would not last for much longer. There was still so much to be done in order to end the terrible war and the firebender was eager to make his contribution to this grand endeavor.

Katara tried not to dwell on Sokka's reactions and responses during the communication. He was as hilarious and sarcastic as ever and yet he seemed to have grown more since she last saw him. She was proud that her big brother was finally manifesting all the leadership potential she had always seen in him. She understood how important it was for him for his plans to succeed, how afraid of failure and criticism he was, and how determined he was to prove himself. Despite her obvious sisterly partiality to him, Katara was confident that he would indeed prove his worth when the time came. And she wanted to be there, standing by his side to support him.

She rolled her eyes as she remembered his ridiculous overreaction to Zuko saving her life. It was bad enough that Sokka didn't trust Zuko and had insensitively pointed out the latter's former faults. But to suspect Zuko of…other motives? That was something she would have to resolve as soon as she got back. Whenever that would be.

A loud crash was heard and a roll of thunder echoed through the vastness of the night sky.

Zuko snapped out of his reverie and took a glance at their surroundings. His eyes narrowed quickly as he realized that the storm's intensity had increased to unimaginable proportions during the few seconds that came after the eye of the storm. He raised his head and watched as a strange, palpable darkness engulfed the sky and as an unnamed terror approached the isle from all directions.

The firebender gasped as he observed the coming danger. The eerie, unfathomable chill of the storm was worse than being drenched in the freezing rainwater and being whipped by the powerful gales. It was time to leave.

He turned to Katara, who was still lost in thought, and grabbed her arm roughly. Surprised at the sudden pressure on her wrist, Katara looked back at him.

"We have to get back to the house," Zuko said urgently, "now."

The waterbender quickly took stock of the surroundings, and realizing how she had tarried too long, she nodded to him. They quickly descended the slope, walking towards the nearby woods, towards the house.

The rain was coming down harder and faster now. It was becoming difficult for them to see where they were going. The ground they were treading on was becoming slippery and muddy, and leaves were flying off the trees, making the sky a mess of randomly floating objects, obscuring the view of the rest of the island. The wind was howling loudly and blowing all sorts of things to their faces. Then, there was the occasional roll of thunder that shook the sky.

Katara tried to bend as much water as she could away from them so that they would be able to reach the house as soon as possible. Once they reached the base of the small mount, they had to take a few steps backward.

They saw that the tide had risen very high and that the beach had been submerged by the waves. The smaller trees were now sinking beneath the inundation and the mount would soon be reached by the water as well. The island was being flooded.

Thinking quickly, Katara froze a path of ice in front of them and they were able to run across the flood towards the house. Katara was still able to bend the waters away from crashing on top of them and drowning them but her energy was waning. She raised her arms and froze a large wave that was about to engulf them as they ran. They moved forward and just as soon as they were out of the frozen wave's range, an even larger one crashed on top of it. Katara gasped at the amazing force of the water and it took Zuko's firm grip on her arm to lead her away from the spectacle.

Zuko cursed under his breath as they continued running across the slippery ice path Katara had frozen before him. He so hated being useless and yet there was nothing he could do. Even if he could firebend, all his newly-acquired skills would be useless in the face of so much water and the forces amplified by the moon's glow.

He was thankful to have Katara by his side. Without her waterbending, both of them would have surely drowned by now. The tide was rising to unbelievable heights and very soon even the cliff where they had been standing earlier would be overrun with the waters. He gritted his teeth as he thought about how dependent he was on her. He hated being a burden to others.

The wind was now whipping violently against their faces, pushing them back powerfully. They staggered and struggled to keep their balance on the ice path which kept sloping upwards as they moved on. Katara raised her arms quickly and froze a wall of water for them to lean back on.

The swiftly falling raindrops were beginning to obscure Zuko's vision. He raised a hand and shielded himself from the water. The waves were all around them now. The sea had overflowed onto the beach and they were now standing in the midst of a vast flood. The island was being overrun.

Zuko trying to make sense of his surroundings, but all he could see was water, water everywhere. And not the blue, radiant, life-giving fluid, but a darker, more sinister substance, and it was swallowing the island in whole.

Even Katara was having difficulty to maintain control of the water. She continued to freeze or divert the waves that were rising above them. The waterbender was frowning with concentration and her fingers quivered with every exertion of her power. She thanked the Moon Spirit for giving her enough energy to withstand the storm but Katara could feel that some of this energy was already being drained from her.

Zuko squinted, trying to spot the house, which he dearly hoped was not yet flooded. He didn't know whether his aunt had already risen from her confinement and whether she would be able to help them. But he knew that with Katara bending them to safety, they were better off than Melisande. They had to get back to the house, whether to find shelter or to rescue its sole inhabitant.

They were at a dangerous standstill. Both benders stood alone on an ice-island Katara had formed and she was using all her powers to keep the rest of the waters at bay. They were trapped in the storm, unable to leave their little refuge. Zuko frowned angrily. There had to be some way for them to weather this storm. He looked around frantically, trying to spot a way out, a loophole. The firebender also glanced worriedly at the waterbender beside him.

Her face was contorted with exertion and she could not stop raising her arms and controlling whatever water she could. Several times she had tried to make a wave for them to ride on through the storm but they had always been overrun by other, larger, more uncontrollable waves of water.

The surges of water were becoming more frequent and more forceful. It was everything Katara could do to keep them both out of danger but she couldn't do so forever. She bit her lip in frustration.

_Why won't the water follow me? _she thought desperately, as she barely managed to shift the direction of a crashing wave. Even with the lunar energy present, she was having such difficulty controlling the water, and it was the first time this had ever happened. She was a waterbending master of unsurpassed skill but it was still beyond her to control an entire ocean.

She was shivering from the chilly weather and her knees were shaking. Katara closed her eyes and forced herself to focus on keeping the water away from them. There were aches and pains in every part of her body and she felt her powers weakening as every moment passed.

Zuko stood beside her helplessly, ready to support her if she stumbled and trying desperately to find a solution to their dilemma. Neither of them knew how long they had been standing there but one thing they both knew for certain was that the storm wasn't going to let out any time soon.

"I'm so sorry that I can't be of any help," Zuko told his companion apologetically, "But I'll try to get us out of this mess."

"Don't worry," Katara replied, as she pushed another surge of water away from them, "it's not your fault. And there's really not much we can do."

"I'm trying to figure something out," Zuko said awkwardly, "I promise."

She nodded, even as she manipulated the tide, knotting her brow in extreme concentration. The rhythm of the rain was becoming more persistent and the roars of thunder were amplifying. The wind howled fiercer than ever.

"No pressure or anything," she yelled at him over the din of the storm, "but you'd better find a solution really fast. I don't think I can hold on much longer."

Zuko looked at her with concern but continued to glance around him desperately. He struggled to recall the little geography of the island that he had acquired from their stay there. If his estimates were correct, they should only be several hundred meters away from the steps that led to the house. He was sure that the stairway that led to the front door was flooded by now so the best way to reach the house would be to go straight to the front door. His thoughts cascaded through his brain like the waters cascading through the shore. How would they get to the front door, which was the highest point from the shore, if Katara could not freeze the water to act as a stairway?

Looking at her now, Zuko knew that she might not have the strength to do so. Already, her stance was faltering and it was taking all her energy just to stand erect. The firebender racked his brain for the answer.

And then, just as Katara pushed away the largest wave of water yet, Zuko's golden eyes widened in understanding and realization. He was just about to explain the plan to Katara when she screamed with fright.

Her blue eyes were wide with horror and she was shaking all over, looking at her hands with fear. She looked at him wildly and he was momentarily taken aback by her expression. It was one of utter despair.

"Katara," he shouted, taking her hands in his to steady her staggering figure, "what's wrong? What happened?"

"I..I," she stammered softly and fearfully, tears streaming down her face, "I can't bend the water anymore."

Zuko gasped when he heard this and tried to support her as her knees buckled and she fell to the icy floor of the little island. As he held her close, the firebender hazarded a glance at the stormy sky. What he saw made his golden pupils widen in shock.

There was no moon.

--

"This place is cursed," Katara muttered helplessly and fearfully, "cursed."

Katara shivered as she clung to Zuko. She was devastated by the loss of her bending and now finally understood the emptiness that Zuko and Melisande felt when they were unable to bend at night. She never felt so weak and helpless in her life. And the exhaustion from using a lot of extremely taxing bending techniques was taking its toll on her.

The rain showed no signs of stopping. Zuko knew that in a few moments, they would be covered by the water. The clouds raced by across the pitch black sky which was only slightly illuminated by occasional strikes of lightning.

"Listen to me, Katara," Zuko whispered gently, "we can still make it. You have to trust me."

She nodded between sobs and shivers.

"A wave is coming towards us," he explained, "so brace yourself for the impact. We'll have to swim towards the house as quickly as possible. We're not that far off."

The young firebender tightened his hold over the waterbender and she felt reassured by his presence. He then clasped her hand in his and told her to get ready. A large, wave was rising just above them. The two benders ran across what was left of Katara's ice path and then, when they reached the edge, Zuko told her that they would have to dive.

"We have to put as much distance as we can between us and that wave," he told her, "whatever you do, don't let go of me. We have to stick together through this."

She nodded quickly. Taking a deep breath, they plunged into the waters, hands clasped.

For a moment, they found themselves numb with the cold and the force of their jump. Regaining their composure, Zuko and Katara swam as fast as they could towards a certain direction. Zuko turned his head, trying to search for the location of the house. Without the moon's glow, they were plunged in utter darkness and all they could feel was the push and pull of the chaotic ocean.

A flash of lightning seared the sky and Zuko took the opportunity to scan the island, or what was left of it. His golden eyes spotted the familiar ornate roof.

"There!" he cried to Katara and they began swimming towards the house.

Fortunately for them, the current was in their favor and they force of the water was able to propel them towards the house. Zuko kicked the water behind him furiously, and pushed as much water as he could behind him. There was not a moment to lose. The massive wave was gaining on them even as they were floated towards the building.

Zuko gritted his teeth in determination. He was swimming ahead, pulling a weakened but equally determined Katara after him.

"Just. A. Little. Further," he muttered, struggling to swim in the general direction of the house. If they could only reach the front area of their dwelling place, he already knew exactly what he would do.

"Come on," Zuko muttered, as the familiar silhouette of the Fire Nation structure came into view. They were nearly there.

Sadly, fate had other plans for them. Just as Zuko reached out for one of the wooden steps that lead to the entrance of the house, the huge wave that had been pursuing them finally caught up with them, crashing down on the two hapless benders with unimaginable force.

Torrential rains continued as Zuko and Katara found themselves being tossed about by the sea. They were both furious at having been thwarted at the very last moment and they were indignant at not being able to do anything about their current predicament. From beneath the layers of sea which had engulfed them, they swam their way to the surface and emerged, gasping for air and shivering from the cold.

Zuko swore audibly and was now racking his brains for options. Taking large breaths of air, Katara looked over at him and also tried to find a solution. Fortunately, their hands were still tightly clasped. At least even the most powerful surges of the malevolent water had not parted them.

Rolls of thunder filled the air and the crash and fall of the waves was all they could hear. Lightning struck the darkness and they were able to see, albeit momentarily, where they were.

Zuko realized that they had been pushed a lot further than he had first thought. As he and Katara struggled to remain afloat, they both bumped into a large floating object. Feeling the vibrations of coming into contact with another solid, they were jolted from their reveries. Zuko turned to see what they had bumped into and realized that it was one of the trees from the woods. The might of the waves had loosened the soil and uprooted all the trees of the tiny patch of forest that had stood in the middle of the island, between the beach, the cliff, and Melisande's old house.

Katara winced as her back struck another solid. She looked at it and found yet another uprooted tree floating beside her. Katara then clung to one of the branches and nudged Zuko to do the same.

They waited for another flash of lightning to shed some light on their situation. When this happened, they realized that the entire woods had been uprooted by the force of the water and there were logs floating all around them. And better yet, the logs seemed to form a path towards the house.

Instantly, a plan formed in Zuko's brain. He tested the flotation capacity of the tree they were currently holding on to by climbing up on it and helping Katara do the same.

Balancing themselves on the tree, they discovered that the floating log was able to hold their weight. Zuko smirked with satisfaction.

"Yes," he thought, "this will do very well." Katara looked at him curiously. But she was unperturbed. He looked like he had a plan.

They staggered to keep balance as the small waves pushed the log towards the direction of the house. Dizzy with exhaustion, Katara swayed dangerously and had to be steadied by Zuko, who was still struggling to maintain his balance on the log. He held her by the shoulders and explained his plan.

"This place isn't as cursed as you think," he muttered, "we won't be able to reach the house by out-swimming the waves, but with these floating logs as our stepping stones, we might still outrun them."

"What are you talking about?" Katara asked perplexedly. Before Zuko could answer, they had to hold each other closer as a wave moved the tree they were standing on. Raindrops continued to soak them but they paid little heed to this nuisance. A roll of thunder was heard.

"Listen," he said hurriedly, "there's no time to explain the details. You're just going to have to trust me and follow my lead."

Katara nodded weakly. Zuko held her hand and told her to try and propel herself from the log and leap to the next one. She looked at him with wide eyes.

"I know you can do it," he assured her, and she nodded hesitantly. He counted to three and was able to launch himself effortlessly from the tree, holding Katara's hand. She too was able to leap with him to the next log, a few meters away but she landed with difficulty and clutched her head.

Zuko instantly steadied her and kept their balance on this log. He now realized that although she was capable of doing what he asked, all the waterbending she had done earlier that evening had drained much of her energy. He would have to take matters in his own hands, literally and figuratively.

"I'm sorry," the waterbender said sadly, "I'll try harder. I just need.."

Zuko shushed her and assured her that there was nothing to worry about. Without a second's delay, the firebender lifted the waterbender into his arms, and then balanced his weight on the log.

"But, Zuko," Katara protested, a little embarrassed, "you can't possibly…"

"I can, and I will," he interrupted, "just trust me and hold on."

Her blue eyes widened but she said nothing and simply put her arms around his neck and held on tight. Taking a deep breath, Zuko bent his knees and propelled himself upward. Katara closed her eyes and braced herself.

And then, she felt herself flying through the air as Zuko leapt expertly from one log to the next, not staying for more than a few seconds on each log. He was using the upward force of the log trying to stay afloat to launch himself to the next one. His balance was impeccable and at the rate they were going, they were covering more distance than they had when they had been swimming.

The tide was still in their favor and this time they were able to go much closer to the house than they had previously. But Zuko knew that this was not yet the end. Balancing himself on the last log, which floated a few meters from where the wooden stairway to the house should be, Zuko frowned.

"Katara," he instructed, "we're going to dive now, and once we are under water, please just follow me."

"I will," she replied. Zuko put her down on the log and holding hands, they plunged once more into the dark depths. As soon as he had accustomed his eyes to seeing under water, Zuko swam, pulling Katara with him towards the wooden steps. He reached the submerged stairway and groped along the sides for something.

Katara wondered at first why he wasn't just climbing along the wooden steps when she noticed that the base of the stairway had been "uprooted" from the ground and many of the steps were already coming loose from the force of the water.

All that seemed to be left were the large, sturdy beams that held the house up high. But the waterbender worried that even those beams might falter if the soil was eroded by the powerful waves. She turned quickly as Zuko tugged her hand and motioned to a thick rope that he was holding. She wondered where the rope had come from but didn't dwell on it any further.

She nodded and they both began to climb up the rope as quickly as they could. The deluge was greater than neither of them had expected and by the time their heads emerged at the surface of the flood, they saw that the waters had risen right up to the front door.

Once Katara had finished climbing, she saw that the Zuko's rope had led them straight back to the house and he had managed to yank the door open. He climbed in first and then helped her up from the rope and into the house.

Katara now realized what the rope was for and how Zuko had come up with his amazing plans. She suddenly remembered that during his training with Melisande, Zuko had been asked to a number of other things to sharpen his physical abilities. One had been to leap over small, floating rafts, on the water and to be able to reach the shore through a combination of balance and proper launching of one's weight. And another had been to climb a thick rope to the front door of the house while she and Melisande took the stairs.

Katara marveled at how useful all of that training had proven to be and wondered if Melisande had been secretly preparing them both for the coming of the storm. Whatever her motives were, Katara thought, Melisande's teachings saved their lives.

As they quickly climbed into the house, Zuko sealed the first door. They entered the next door, which Zuko sealed accordingly. Once within the safety of the walls, Zuko and Katara collapsed to the floor in exhaustion, panting heavily and heaving sighs of relief.

Suddenly, the whole house shook from a powerful tremor. Zuko and Katara looked at each other nervously.

"The support beams!" Katara cried, as she explained what she had seen to the firebender. Zuko frowned as he listened.

"I've sealed the only entrance from below," he muttered, "that should keep the water out. The rest of the house is watertight."

"But what's going to happen to us?" Katara cried frantically.

Zuko cursed as he realized the difficulty of their predicament. He glanced at the house's wood-paneled, curved walls, and traditional Fire Nation architecture. Then, suddenly, his eyes widened with a flash of understanding. Zuko reproached himself for not having noticed it before.

"Zuko?" Katara called him with concern. The firebender looked grave.

"It will float," was all Zuko answered. After all, it was not just a house.

It was also a boat.


	22. Chapter 22

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar. That is that.

AN: Thanks for your really positive feedback to the last chapter. I'm glad you all liked it. I will be out of the country for the next four days and I won't have Internet access or a computer so I won't be able to update very soon. The earliest might be Sunday but please don't get your hopes up, it's going to be a long chapter and I'll need some time to finish it. Sorry in advance for the delay. I hope you enjoy this chapter; it came out longer than I expected. I am not good with the inner workings of a ship, so forgive any mistakes I may have made here. Thanks and enjoy.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

"How could I have missed it?" was the question that plagued both benders the moment they realized that the house's true nature.

Now that the boat-house had been duly dislodged from the submerged island, the entire structure was rocking along the waves of the vast sea into which it had been plunged. The swaying movement of the entire house was already very familiar to the two experienced seafarers so they had no problems dealing with it. Instead, they were more concerned with their own negligence.

Having accordingly sealed the doors and having made sure that they were, at least, safe from the torrential rains and the raging ocean, Zuko and Katara had enough time to take stock of their predicament and to marvel at their own ignorance. Each of them had a reason to feel shocked at his or her neglect and they were now both feeling the irony quite acutely.

Katara slapped her forehead at not having recognized the structures earlier, having lived her whole life around marine vessels of various types. She was a waterbender, for Spirits' sake, why didn't she notice how the house had been designed, how it had curved walls, large store rooms, a balcony which was really the top deck of the boat, and so many other marine structures? And between the two of them, it was she who had explored the house more than Zuko. While he and his aunt had been busy practicing their firebending, she would freely roam around the rooms to satisfy her natural curiosity. Earlier during their stay, Melisande had given the waterbender free reign over whatever she would like to do on the island.

"After all," Melisande had said, "you're already cooped up on the island as it is. I wouldn't want to restrict you any further."

And yet, Katara had still not discovered the house's true purpose although she noticed that the upper rooms had strange devices, maps, and charts in them. At the time, Katara dismissed these as merely things Melisande had used when she tried to escape numerous times from the island. As for her other questions about the house, Katara had always deferred them out of respect for Melisande's privacy. The waterbender had also been so engrossed in Melisande's stories about her life that the young girl would always forget her inquiries about the strange dwelling place.

The only other excuse she could make for herself was that she was not completely familiar with the inner workings of all Fire Nation vessels and she might not have noticed the ship right away.

Meanwhile, Zuko continued to reprimand himself for being so slow on the uptake. Not only was he more familiar with Fire Nation structures, he had also spent the last three years of his life out on the sea. How could he have not noticed all the similarities of the house to his own ship? The way everything was so familiar, so very like the way things were set up on the ship, should have alerted him right away to the house's purpose. But then again, perhaps because it was everything was so familiar and homey to him that he let his guard down and failed to notice the difference. And besides, he had very limited experience with _wooden _Fire Nation ships. Most of those he had been accustomed to were undoubtedly metal and a lot more modern. There was something very quaint and yet ancient about the way the house was built which threw one off their guard. Maybe this was part of the power of the island in retaining its inhabitants. In the end, one felt too much at home to even attempt to escape.

And yet even the chores that his aunt had asked him to do in the earlier stages of their stay on the island had been similar to the tasks of a person preparing for a long voyage.

Now, all of a sudden, everything was making perfect sense to Zuko. Those seemingly interminable afternoons spent fishing and hunting whatever game there was to be found on the island, those long hours under the sun salting and preserving the meats and fruits, and all those trips to the large cellars to store all the preserved foodstuffs. He was well aware that there was more than enough food for the three of them to survive on without having to preserve any but he didn't question his aunt's orders because he didn't see anything wrong with preparing for a rainy day. Little did he know then how prophetic such an expression would be.

But no. He had been too busy concentrating on his internal conflicts, and on practicing his firebending that he had paid very little attention to everything else. He had focused too much on his own problems and on biding his time until they would return to the Four Nations that he had failed to process the hints that his aunt had been leaving about the coming storm.

Then, in the midst of all their reverie, Zuko and Katara both reached the same eventual question: why had Melisande told them about this? Just how much did their mysterious hostess know about the gravity of the storm and had she secretly been preparing them for these trials all this time.

Suddenly, they were reminded to check on her. Zuko and Katara rushed to the door of the duchess' chambers. Katara grabbed the handle quickly and tried to yank the door open but to no avail. It was very effectively locked.

Zuko had paused beside the door to check on something. He became calmer after seeing whatever it was and he put a hand on Katara's shoulder. She looked at him and he shook his head serenely.

"Don't force it," he told her, "she's all right."

"But how do you know that?" Katara protested, her hands still on the doorknob.

At this, Zuko pointed to a small hollow on the wall by Melisande's door. Katara walked over to see what it was and saw that there was a small, flickering candle glowing from within the hole. There was a small glass shield that protected the candle from the outside and it continued to burn steadily even while the whole house was submerged in the darkness caused by the storm.

"How does it keep burning like that?" Katara asked, mesmerized by the comfort of the candle's glow.

"That's no ordinary candle," Zuko said.

"Yes," Katara replied sarcastically, "I figured as much."

"I mean," Zuko explained, "that tiny flame is a piece of Aunt Melisande's inner fire."

Katara looked at Zuko curiously. He sighed and launched into a more detailed explanation.

"While the sun's light reinforces our bending and the first firebenders were the dragons," Zuko elaborated, "the very source of any individual firebender's power lies in his or her inner fire, the strength and vitality of which differs from bender to bender. The degree at which each flame burns determines the prowess of every bender."

"So weaker firebenders have smaller, cooler flames?" Katara asked.

"That's right," Zuko answered, "and being a firebending master, Aunt Melisande has a very intense inner fire. And somehow, despite the island's malevolent weakening of our bending, she was able to extract a bit of it to light that candle."

"But you're a firebending master in your own right, aren't you, Zuko?" Katara told him, "are you capable of doing that as well?"

Zuko shook his head firmly. "I may have beaten Aunt Melisande in one Agni Kai," he continued, "but I still don't have as much experience as she has in a whole range of Fire Nation techniques. We've been training a lot but we still did not have the time for her to teach me all she knows. In our duel, my youth was my advantage and her relative lack of practice was her disadvantage. But all things considered, Aunt Melisande is still a far more superior firebender than I am."

The young firebender then turned his golden eyes towards the steadily burning flame of his aunt's inner fire and observed it gravely as Katara looked at him in admiration.

"Before we both started our atonement and cleansing rites," Zuko remembered, "Aunt Melisande ignited this candle. She said that for as long as the candle had a light, she would be alive. She knew that you and I would awaken sooner than she would and she didn't want to worry us with her condition."

"That's why she locked her doors so well," Katara mused, "she was able to delay me from going to you but she wanted to make sure that no one would have to share in her ordeal."

Zuko nodded in agreement.

"I guess that's just the way she wanted things to be," Zuko concluded, "she really wanted to go through her ordeal alone. The solitude must have been more familiar to her since she's been living in it for eight years on the island. And considering her past, perhaps she's been alone for a lot longer."

Having thought on Zuko's words, Katara had to admit that he was right about his aunt. For all her power and knowledge, she had always been alone in her struggles.

"But why did she not tell us about the house being a boat," Katara wondered aloud, "as well as her other preparations for the storm, or even the details about this significant event?"

"I suppose she dropped a lot of subtle hints," Zuko ventured, "and perhaps I was too engrossed in my problems to notice them."

"Well, I guess, so was I," Katara agreed, "was she testing us, somehow? Or did she assume that we understood all her hints?"

"You know quite well that my aunt delights in baffling us," Zuko commented, "I'm very sure that there is still so much that she hasn't disclosed to us about our situation."

"You're right," Katara replied with a laugh, "but I think that she was doing it more out of concern for us than out of a desire for her own amusement."

"You mean she was protecting us somehow?" he asked.

"Well," Katara answered, "in a way. You noticed how she was always reluctant to share the gruesome details about your ordeals or how she was always trying to add some humor into talking about your tragic pasts? I guess those were just her ways of softening the blows for us. This is the same thing."

"I see," Zuko replied with realization, "she left it at dropping subtle hints and treating it like an amusing little game for us so that we wouldn't be worried or alarmed when this storm came."

"I suppose that was what she intended," Katara said, "it's just her way of looking out for us while she lies in indefinite confinement. I'll make sure to thank her warmly when she finally emerges from that room."

"So will I," Zuko added, "apparently, I owe her more than I realized."

They both looked somberly at the flickering candle in the hollow by the locked door of Melisande's chambers and hoped that she would soon overcome all the obstacles laid before her.

A powerful vibration shook their vessel and the floor was slightly tilted. Zuko and Katara immediately regained their balance but they realized that the ship was floating on extremely turbulent waters. Zuko and Katara looked at each other seriously, and then each nodded in comprehension.

And then, all of a sudden, it was like he was back on his ship again, traveling the world to capture the Avatar. But then, there were a few crucial differences, of course.

First off, he didn't exactly have a crew. The only person helping him run the ship was Katara and he didn't think that she'd take too kindly to being treated as a subordinate. So he didn't have anyone to order around. Zuko would have to do the work himself.

Next, the house did not have the same make and model as his ship. It was still a Fire Nation design, but it was more of an amalgamation of al basic ship designs and he was not quite sure about how to run it. But for all of their sakes, he would have to try.

And the other difference was in Zuko himself. He was now a far cry from the person he had been when he was still hunting down the Avatar. And the drastic change in character was the biggest difference of all.

"Do you know where I can possibly steer this thing?" Zuko asked Katara quickly as the floor continued to move.

Katara thought quickly and then answered, "The uppermost chamber seems like a control room of sorts."

"I'm on it," he nodded and clambered his way to the upper room. Katara, on the other hand, busied herself with sealing off the rest of the house and trying to keep the water out.

"Darn," she cursed under breath as she scooped some water on the floor out a slightly open window, "this would be so much easier if I had my bending. Now, I really know how Zuko and Aunt Melisande felt all this time."

Having sealed off the house, Katara decided what to do. Since Zuko was busy at the top part of the house, she decided that she would check the lower levels of the house for boat mechanisms that might be useful. Having been raised in the Water Tribe and having had access to different kinds of boats, she knew the anatomy of one well enough. She would check if there was some sort of machine or mechanism that enable the boat to move on its own. And she was also curious as to what kind of fuel the boat ran on.

"Well," the waterbender thought, "I guess it's time to find out." And she proceeded to explore the cellars of the house, hoping to make some important discoveries.

Zuko struggled to steer the ship in the proper direction from the upper room.

The young prince had discovered that more than just a control room, the topmost chamber of the house had a wooden steering wheel. Although he was never the one who actually steered his ship, Zuko had often observed the helmsman of his ship, mostly to make sure that they would stay on course and not make any unnecessary detours. He had been so obsessed and paranoid about finding the Avatar that he wanted to know how to run his ship by himself in case of emergencies or mutinies. Luckily, Zuko's paranoia turned out to be good for something as he was now familiar with how to steer the house-boat.

Zuko tried to move the steering wheel. At first, it wouldn't budge, but after a few forceful tries, he was able to make the mechanism work again.

"It was probably stuck from misuse," Zuko observed as he turned the wheel this way and that, trying to get a feel of the mechanism. The ship was still reeling from the force of the waves and moving the wheel didn't seem to make much of a difference.

Zuko looked around the room and saw a large compass in the center. Unfortunately, this device wasn't of much help since the arrow was going berserk and pointing at all directions. Apparently, wherever they were, there was no magnetic center.

Zuko sighed and continued to look around the small control room. There were a series of levers and buttons all around but most of them looked very foreign even to an experienced sailor. Most of these controls didn't have any labels or any other symbols indicating their functions. For those that did, Zuko had to wipe the layers of mud (created when the rain moistened the dust on them) to try and decipher their meanings. He was able to recognize a few symbols and characters but most seemed just as foreign as the appearance of the other levers. The words he did recognize merely indicated directions and speed.

The young firebender frowned and held on to one of the railings in the room as the boat recovered from being hit by a particularly powerful wave. He knew very well that it would take more than just a steering wheel to move the boat. There had to be some sort of propulsion system that would enable the boat to travel. He remembered that his ship was powered by a steam engine and that this was the propulsion system used by most of the other ships in the Fire Navy.

However, he doubted that the boat he was currently on had any kind of engine. If there had been one, he or Katara would have noticed it a long time ago since they were constantly going to the cellar or the other lower rooms of the house. A big engine or a similar machine would have been very noticeable in the cellar. And obviously, this boat didn't have a mast or a sail by which to gather wind and speed. It wasn't run by fire either, because firebending was impossible on the island and with the torrential rains during the storm, even the strongest flames would be extinguished.

No, there had to be some other way a boat of this kind could move. Unless there were some hidden rooms that neither he nor Katara had explored. Seeing as the control room was useless without access to a larger propulsion mechanism, he decided to venture to the lower rooms of the house to search for the device that would make this ship move. He didn't want to take the risk of activating the wrong controls and plunging them all into a watery grave.

Zuko took one more look at the symbols on the various controls and tried to find some sort of clue that would lead him to the answer he needed. He noticed that some of the controls had an image of a sort of propeller on them and the words "left" and "right'. Zuko frowned and thought carefully. Where could there be propellers in the house?

Then, in a flash of realization, he rushed downstairs and nearly collided with Katara who was rushing up to meet him.

"I found something," she cried excitedly, but before she could continue, both of them had to quickly grab hold of the railings on the stairs to steady themselves as another large wave rocked the boat.

"Does it have anything to do with a propulsion system for this boat?" Zuko asked hopefully.

"You must have read my mind," Katara replied with a smile, despite the circumstances, "I found propellers, hidden under the cellar."

Zuko's eyes widened and he muttered, "I knew it."

"But how did we not notice them before?" he asked.

"They were very well hidden," Katara explained, "I found them by yanking out a few of the floor boards of the cellar. I had always wondered why those wooden floors creaked so much and why there always seemed to be a hollow sound when one walked there. I guess, I found the answer."

"This is excellent," Zuko commented excitedly, "now I know what will make this boat move. I also know the controls for those propellers."

"But what about fuel?" Katara asked, "those propellers won't be moving on their own without a driving force."

"I know," Zuko replied, "and that's what I have yet to figure out. Could you take me to the propellers?"

Katara nodded, and they both ran down the stairs and towards the cellar. On their way, they passed by several doors along the hall which they had not noticed before. It seems that the house was only now beginning to reveal its secrets.

"I suppose I was too engrossed in my own problems the whole time we were here," Zuko said with a tinge of regret, "that I failed to notice so many crucial details."

"You and me both," Katara added as they ran through the hall.

"Wait," Zuko said, pausing before one of the unknown doors, "I want to take a look in this one."

Katara nodded and Zuko opened the door. As they entered the room, they were awestruck.

It was a store room filled with all sorts of weaponry, from axes, swords, spears, bows and arrows, and a wide variety of blades. Zuko marveled at the diversity of the arms and at the good condition they all seemed to be in, not a single weapon was dusty or rusty.

"I am quite sure that some of these will come in handy," Zuko mused.

"As much as I agree with you," Katara replied, snapping out of the trance, "we still have some urgent matters to attend to."

"You're right," he answered, "but at least we know where the weapons are now."

Katara rolled her eyes and they left the room to continue down to the cellar. When they reached it, they found that, just as Katara had said, there was a hidden room beneath the floor boards. It was a large, dark, cavernous structure and had more than enough space to store two extremely large wooden propellers. These mechanisms were connected to the rest of the house by a series of sturdy wooden beams.

Zuko marveled at the grand structures and was now certain about how the ship was to move. He remembered that there were some levers in the control room which were labeled "launch propellers" with symbols that were not so cryptic to him now.

But the question remained as to what force was going to drive these propellers. Zuko and Katara discussed the matter and they tried to consider all other options.

"I've searched the rest of the cellar for other trap doors or hidden rooms," Katara explained, "and I didn't find any more."

At this, they had to steady themselves again as the boat rocked unsteadily.

"Let's go back upstairs," Zuko suggested, "we still haven't checked the contents of the other rooms."

Katara agreed and they returned to the main hall of the house. After checking a few of the other doors which they saw held supplies, food, other necessities, as well as a room filled with portraits of Fire Nation royalty, some of whom Zuko recognized, they came upon a heavily bolted door.

Seeing this hindrance, Zuko quickly proceeded to the weapons room and returned with a large mace. Knowing his intent, Katara stood back as Zuko smashed the old lock with the mace.

They were able to open the door and when they entered, they saw a large, peculiar looking machine. Neither of them had encountered anything like it in their extensive travels around the Four Nations although Katara surmised that the Mechanist's inventions looked a lot similar to this machine.

The whole thing was just a seemingly confused tangle of screws, bolts, pipes, cog wheels, and various other parts. On the surface of a large pump that was at the center of all the pipes and parts, was a long inscription. Zuko moved closer to examine it, wiping the muck off the pump.

"Can you read it?" Katara asked him, equally intrigued by the enormous mechanism.

Zuko's eyes had widened in excitement and he quickly explained that this was the very energy source of the entire ship. Katara looked at him questioningly and he had to explain.

"According to this description," he said, pointing to the words carved on the pump, "this machine can harness the mechanical energy from the surrounding waters to be able to make the propellers move on their own. There are a lot of complicated technical explanations here that I don't really understand but the point is, when we pull down the main levers of this machine, it will be able to use the energy from the movement of the waves so that we can steer the ship."

"That's amazing," Katara said, in awe, "but this must have taken ages to build. Do you think that your Aunt Melisande made this thing?"

"I doubt it," Zuko answered, as he continued to read the inscription, "Aunt Melisande may be extremely intelligent and strong, but something of this proportion must have taken more than eight years to conceive and complete. Wait a minute, there's a short message."

He rubbed some moistened dust off the latter part of the inscription and read:

"To whoever will be exiled here when the Great Storm comes, may this humble invention of mine deliver you to the Freedom that was denied to me and countless others banished to this island. When you have been liberated, I beseech you, to do everything in your power to end the Fire Lord's regime of fear and hatred. It has gone on for far too long. And may the Spirits guide you in this endeavor.

Tah Zho."

"Tah Zho?" Katara asked, "the name sounds familiar."

But a look of recognition illuminated Zuko's face.

"He was one of the greatest inventors in the Fire Nation," Zuko explained, "as well as the Four Nations. He was also one of the architects who helped lay down the plans for Ba Sing Se to become an impregnable fortress. He was a very modern man and he greatly opposed the war. So he was banished. The history books just didn't mention where."

"Well, now, we know," Katara said, "this is amazing. It seems like many of the exiles of the island knew about this storm before it even came to pass."

"And we are destined to escape the island," Zuko added, "and to fulfill Tah Zho's wishes of restoring balance to the world. Let's not linger here any longer."

At this, they both pulled down the main levers to activate the machine. Instantly, all the contraptions that formed the machine began moving, the wheels turned and the pipes whirred.

"I think it's time to launch the propellers," Zuko said as they left and returned to the control room.

Zuko then activated the controls that were to release the two propellers and the two benders felt powerful vibrations on the ship as the lower level of the house opened up and the propellers were launched.

Then, Zuko was better able to use the steering wheel to direct the ship. Katara went to check the compass, whose pointer was still whirring out of control.

"Do you have any idea where we're heading?" she asked Zuko.

"I don't," he replied calmly.

"What?!"

"There isn't any land for miles around," he explained, "the best course would just be to direct the ship away from the waves so we won't be in any danger of being capsized."

Katara nodded, seeing his point, and she was soon familiarizing herself with the other controls in the room, recognizing some symbols as Water Tribe characters.

"Tah Zho did travel around the Four Nations a lot before he was banished," Zuko told her, explaining the phenomenon.

Using her knowledge of the symbols, Katara did whatever she could to help maneuver the vessel. She also found an old spyglass which she used to examine their surroundings. When Zuko asked her about what was out there, she shook her head sadly.

"I never thought I'd say this so sadly," she muttered, "but there's nothing but water for miles around."

And somewhere on that large, mysterious ship, a lone candle's light flickered.

--

"Zuko," Katara said with worry, as she looked through the spyglass, "there's something out there."

"Do you mind being a little more specific?" Zuko asked as he continued turning the steering wheel, and avoiding a wave that came from the left.

"Here," she said, handing him the spyglass, "take a look for yourself."

He gazed through the spyglass and saw that there was indeed a strange sight approaching them from the north.

"It's some sort of black wave," Zuko said, trying to describe what he saw.

"But it seems to be moving on its own," Katara observed, "unhindered by the rain or the waves."

Zuko nodded. There was something malevolent about that "thing."

"I'll try to steer us off its path," Zuko said, taking control of the steering wheel. After having moved the ship towards another direction, Katara cried out.

"It's following us," she said, "it's going in the same direction."

Zuko cursed under his breath and proceeded to turn the ship in a different direction. But after several attempts at evading the eerie creature, he stopped, knowing that his efforts would be in vain.

"I have a very bad feeling about that thing," Katara said nervously.

"Me too," Zuko replied, "but it seems like the higher forces are throwing us directly in its path. We're going to have to face it head-on."

"I was afraid you'd say that," the waterbender said although she agreed with Zuko.

"It's quite close to us now," Katara said, after taking another glance at the spyglass.

"Maybe I should go out to get a better look," Zuko said, after a few moments. He dropped the steering wheel and left the room. Katara followed him.

The firebender went straight into the weapons chamber and grabbed the first blade he saw. It was a large, wide-bladed scimitar. Katara, on the other hand, chose a light but deadly spear that seemed reminiscent of her own people's weapons. They nodded to each other and proceeded to the balcony which was now the outer deck of the ship.

Just as they thought, the black blob was fast approaching the ship, even though it went against the waves. But just when it was a few meters away, it disappeared.

Zuko and Katara looked at each other with raised eyebrows. But each knew that whatever it was that had pursued them, it had not yet left. They didn't dare look over the railings to get a better glimpse of the thing. They simply stood waiting, clutching tightly at their weapons and staying on their guard. Zuko and Katara frowned in concentration.

The rain slackened and the waves had lessened in intensity. The whole ocean was filled with a hollow, eerie silence.

And then suddenly, a sharp, shrill shriek pierced the air and a huge, dark mass emerged from the ocean.

Zuko and Katara got into their fighting stances and raised their weapons.

Small waves of water fell from the enormous, scaly head and long, sharp fangs were bared. The two benders gasped in horror.

For before them stood the largest, ugliest sea beast they had ever seen.

--

The creature made the giant serpent at "The Serpent's Pass" look like a small worm. The Unagi at Kyoshi Island was a sardine in comparison. This beast was fiercer than a Komodo Rhino and seemed a lot more threatening than a dragon.

It had a long, black, scaly body with small metallic pincers at the side of its head, and fangs dripping with a dangerous black liquid. It's eyes glowed menacingly and its serpentine tongue lolled from its cavernous mouth.

"What in the world is that thing?" Katara cried as she and Zuko backed away carefully from the creature. Zuko was still reeling in shock.

"I didn't think these things really existed," he said, "mothers in the Fire Nation used to tell stories about these monsters to scare their children to obedience."

"Well, what's it called?" Katara yelled, as they were able to dodge a vicious bite from the beast. Katara's blue eyes widened as she saw what the monster had done to the part of the deck where she and Zuko had been standing. The floor had been frozen.

And just as they were about to move away, they almost collided with the monster's head and Zuko grabbed her arm as they leapt to another side of the deck. This time, the creature had scorched the floor where they had been standing.

"It freezes and it breathes fire!" Katara cried in astonishment and horror as the beast roared in frustration at missing its prey.

"Of course it does," Zuko replied with recognition, "it's an Elemental Sea Scorpent."

"It's a what-now?" Katara asked, her eyebrows raised but Zuko quickly pushed her behind him and slashed at the sea snake, temporarily making it retreat.

"An Elemental Sea Scorpent," he repeated, "its fangs are laced with deadly poison so you'd better be careful."

Katara gulped and held to her spear as they struggled to defend themselves against the scorpent.

"So how do you defeat this thing?" she asked, as she and Zuko stood back to back, each busy fending off the monster.

"I don't know," he yelled back, slightly wounding the beast with his scimitar, "it's supposed to be a mythical creature."

"Well, this certainly is for real," she cried, as she struck the neck with her spear. Dark liquid oozed from the puncture she made and the serpent reared its head and roared in pain.

Both Zuko and Katara were able to run closer to the door of the ship but once again they were overtaken by a now enraged elemental sea scorpent. The two backed away carefully. The scorpent readied for a strike, its tongue lolling menacingly.

"Watch out for its pincers," Zuko cautioned as they both dodged swiftly from an attack of the aforementioned sharp appendages.

"Thanks for the warning," Katara replied as she tried to block the creature's attacks with her spear. Zuko, on the other hand, had succeeded again in slashing a part of the creature's scaly neck.

Even as it roared in pain, the wound disappeared and the scorpent renewed its attacks with more vigor than ever. Zuko cursed under his breath at this development and continued to find ways of cutting down the scorpent.

"Maybe wounding it isn't enough," Katara shouted to him as both of them tried to strike a blow to the monstrous thing, "maybe you should cut off its head."

"I'm working on that," Zuko yelled back, "but it has really quick reflexes and I can never seem to reach its head with my sword no matter how fast I strike."

He leaped expertly to the left as the floorboard where he had been standing was scorched by the scorpent's breath of fire.

"Let's try striking simultaneously," Katara suggested, over the din of Zuko's sword clashing with the creature's fangs. Zuko bent his knees for added force and pushed the scorpent's head back and slashed at its throat to distract it momentarily. As the monster moved away from him, Zuko yelled his assent to Katara.

"You give the signal," he cried as he shook the monster's viscous blood off his scimitar. Katara nodded. The wound on the scorpent's neck quickly closed and the creature once again prepared to strike. With lightning speed, its head dipped towards them.

"Just a little further," Katara muttered, her brows furrowing, sweat pouring down her face in intense concentration, "come on." The scorpent's head came nearer and nearer. Katara raised her spear and Zuko readied his scimitar. Their eyes narrowed. The scorpent's head came within a few meters of theirs.

"NOW!" Katara yelled and they both ran quickly towards the beast, weapons raised. And together, in two simultaneous fell swoops, Zuko and Katara struck the scorpent.

Unfortunately, their strategy was no match for the elemental scorpent. Just as they were about to strike, the pincers on the sides of the monster's head extended swiftly to block their blows.

Zuko and Katara gasped as they were thwarted and they were forced to quickly respond by blocking the pincers.

"Darn it," cursed Katara as she leaped back and away from the scorpent.

"Its peripheral vision is a lot better than we thought," Zuko said as he dodged a blow from the monster, "I think I'm really going to have to cut off its head somehow."

To buy some time, Zuko stabbed at one of the scorpent's eyes, temporarily distracting it. And while the eye was oozing with dark, viscous blood, Zuko raised his scimitar and came down on the beast with all his might, effectively slashing off its head.

The repulsive head fell with a loud thud onto the deck of the ship while the rest of the scorpent's body writhed in pain. Katara looked disgustedly at the fallen head and made sure that she was far away from it. She shuddered at the sight.

Zuko, on the other hand, was panting heavily from the exertion, and he still held his bloodied scimitar. Watching as the disgusting fluid flowed from the blade, the firebender fell to his knees from exhaustion. The scorpent's neck continued to spurt blood and to writhe violently.

Katara sighed with relief and began walking towards Zuko. Just as she was passing the wriggling decapitated scorpent, a bump appeared on the stub of the neck. With a cry of horror, Katara watched as the scorpent grew back its ugly, scaly head.

She ran to Zuko's side and alerted him to the development and the firebender stared dumbstruck at the revived monster. He stood up quickly and they ran towards the door of the boat.

"Venom-soaked fangs, deadly pincers, fire-breath, freezing power, and a regenerating head," Katara enumerated as they fled, "such a charming sea monster."

Zuko was about to comment when he roughly pushed Katara aside and placed his scimitar before him, blocking the scorpent's fangs.

"Zuko!" Katara cried when she saw his predicament. She had landed on one of the frozen patches of the deck. Her hands were chilled as they felt the ice. She gritted her teeth.

"If only I could use my bending," she muttered, frowning intensely, she clenched her fist, and in the force of habit, summoned the water towards her. Her eyes closed she raised her arms and flung them forcefully towards the scorpent's head.

"Katara!" Zuko shouted, making the waterbender open her eyes again, "you can bend again!"

She looked incredulously towards where Zuko was pointing and saw that she had commanded the ice that she had been sitting on and it had momentarily settled over the monster's face, giving Zuko enough time to escape. He was soon at her side. She nodded towards him and ran towards the edge of the balcony, summoning the waters of the ocean with all her might.

But the waters did not heed her summons.

"Huh?" she cried in frustration and surprise as she continued trying to command the water in the ocean. But not a single drop followed her will.

Zuko, seeing her predicament, stood in front of her to shield her from the scorpent's eventual attack. The beast soon broke free of its frozen prison and headed straight for them, emitting a blast of fire from its mouth.

Instead of jumping away, Zuko tried to bend the flames. And surprisingly, the fire obeyed him and he was able to redirect the fire to the scorpent, temporarily debilitating the beast.

By now, Katara had realized that she still had not regained all of her bending powers. The only water she was capable of controlling was the water that came from the monster's mouth. The same thing went for Zuko.

Katara returned to the places the scorpent had frozen and summoned the water and used them as ice darts, attacking the beast. The darts would momentarily hit the scaly neck but would soon be reabsorbed into the scorpent.

"So the good news is we can bend again," Katara yelled, as she and Zuko stayed together, both fighting off the scorpent.

"But the bad news is," Zuko replied, "our bending can't help us defeat this thing." He redirected a flame from the scorpent.

"The only advantage our bending has given us," Katara observed, "is better defense. But we still need to come up with an effective offensive strategy." As she said this, Katara threw an icicle blade at the monster.

"I'm working on it," Zuko muttered, scorching some of the large scales, "I'm working on it."

And while the two young benders were fending off the elemental sea scorpent, something else was happening within the wooden ship. The lone candle that shone in the main hall had been extinguished and a door was being unlocked.

A little later, the door to the weapons chamber was opened and certain implements were taken down from the wall.

Back on the outer deck, Zuko and Katara continued to fight the scorpent with a combination of bending and slashing but to no avail. The beast healed itself every time and seemed to have boundless energy while both of them were fast losing their strength.

"If this is an elemental scorpent," Katara asked, while using a water whip on the beast, "why doesn't it earthbend or airbend as well?"

"That's because it's an elemental SEA scorpent," Zuko explained, slashing the other side of the monster's head with a red-hot scimitar, "the elemental scorpents are either land or sea creatures and they can only bend two elements each. And each scorpent always bends its main element, which is water for the sea scorpent and earth for the land scorpent, and the opposite element. That way, they seem practically indestructible because they have perfect balance between two opposing forces."

"Well, that's really comforting," Katara replied sarcastically, lashing at the scorpent, "but that still doesn't tell us how to kill this one."

Zuko jumped again as the scorpent dove to bite him. As he leaped in mid-air, the firebender noticed that the eye of the scorpent which he had stabbed earlier, still had not healed. Zuko's eyes narrowed in realization.

"Katara," he cried, "do you think you can get the scorpent to turn to you even just for a moment? I just need a brief distraction."

"Whatever your plan is," she replied, "I hope it works." With this, she lassoed her water whip around the scorpent's neck and pulled the head towards her. Using the temporary distraction, Zuko leaped in the air again and aimed his scimitar straight for the other eye. The firebender came down with a fury and soon, black, viscous blood was spurting from the injured socket.

Katara let go of the lasso and the beast reared its head in extreme pain. Zuko landed near the waterbender.

"I noticed that of all the wounds I inflicted," Zuko explained between catching his breath, "only the one on its eye remained un-healed. Maybe that's the scorpent's weak spot, after all."

They watched as the creature writhed violently in throes of agony, blood continuing to spurt from where its eye had been. The two benders were just about to call it a night when the scorpent's head fell down near them, it's nostrils quivering.

"Oh, come on," Zuko yelled with frustration, as the beast renewed its attacks on them.

"Just great, Zuko," Katara called out from where she was fighting, "you made it blind and angry."

"How was I supposed to know it had a superior olfactory sense?" he yelled back, slashing at the monster with his scimitar, "I said, it's a mythical creature!"

"Well, what are we supposed to do now?" Katara cried as they were able to temporarily wound the scorpent, causing it to retreat a few meters away from them.

Before Zuko could answer, they both heard the familiar twang of a bow string. And before they knew it, an arrow sped through the air and flew straight to the scorpent's chest, piercing through the tough, scaly interior.

Zuko and Katara watched in awe as the beast not only writhed and roared in pain but also disintegrated, its entire body dissolving into a cloud of black dust.

The two benders turned incredulously to where the arrow had come from and were not surprised to see a triumphant and rejuvenated Melisande standing on the roof of the house, lowering her bow. She smiled proudly at them.

"Some useful advice," she said, in her usual lively tone accompanied by a knowing wink, "when facing a huge, ugly, deadly, scaly mythical creature, always aim for the heart."


	23. Chapter 23

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar. That is that.

AN: I'm back. So sorry for the delay, everyone, things got really busy for me. And you might find some familiar creatures from Greek Mythology here and I didn't change their names because I really couldn't think of better things to call them. But I did change some of their characteristics. Hopefully, these things won't throw you guys off. And as for the end, just a little warning, they're not home yet.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

"I could kill for a hot cup of tea right now," Melisande said with a sigh as she shivered from the chill of the ceaseless night wind.

"I could kill for a hot cup of anything right now," added her nephew, who was similarly not taking to the cold too well.

Katara chuckled softly at the two firebenders' low tolerance for cold weather. She and Melisande were seated by a small table in the control room while Zuko was maneuvering the steering wheel. The house-ship continued to sway dangerously from side to side and the heavy rains had resumed their falling.

It had been a week since Melisande had vanquished the Elemental Sea Scorpent and the calm that the vast ocean had acquired during the vile creature's existence had immediately ceased. The waves had returned, more powerful than ever, and the rains had threatened to drench them all (again) had they not quickly proceeded to the house for shelter.

Once Zuko had resumed control of the ship and had continued navigating, he and Katara bombarded Melisande with questions about everything that was happening around them. The older firebender had been overwhelmed by their inquisitiveness and had to wait for the enthusiasm of the two younger benders to decrease before she could begin to explain everything. But the explanations and stories were often interrupted by rough seas, the occasional lightning flashes, and the seemingly endlessly pouring rain.

But after a few days out on the open sea, Zuko, Katara, and Melisande became more and more accustomed to the temperamental nature of the waters and they were able to find time to talk more about their peculiar situation.

Zuko and Katara told Melisande of their meeting with their friends and family during the eye of the storm and she expressed her delight and joy for them.

"I'm glad that you were able to talk to your friends again," Melisande had said, "I know that you both have been long desiring such a reunion, of sorts."

"It was a relief to both parties, I suppose," Katara answered, "at least they knew that we were all right and vice versa. It was the uncertainty of the others' condition which was the heaviest burden to bear during the first part of our stay in the island."

"And just when we thought that after the ordeal of memories," Zuko had added, "things couldn't possibly get any worse; fate toyed with us once again."

"Yes," replied Melisande with a whimsical smile, "fate has a way of doing that. But I don't think that fate will throw anything our way that we can't handle."

"That still doesn't make the situation any easier," Zuko said sarcastically.

His aunt laughed at him and teased him about regressing to his old self again. This light banter cheered the somber prince up somewhat and they resumed their talking.

This was the way the three of them spent the following days and nights, although it was impossible to know whether it was day or night out in that malevolent storm since they were always engulfed in a deep darkness. They were only aware of the long passage of time by consulting the primitive time pieces and hour glasses which were stored in that ship.

Zuko and Katara had been reluctant to ask Melisande about the details of her personal rite of atonement because they both did not want to pry. The older woman had sensed their hesitation and assured them of her appreciation of their discretion.

"I'm sure that you're both burning with curiosity," she had said with a twinkle in her eye, "but you're both just too polite to express it. I respect that and I am grateful for it."

At this her face had turned pensive and grave. Seeing her paleness by the candle light, gave one the impression that she was a specter of some sort. The scars and burn marks she had acquired before the beginning of her rites had long since vanished; cleansed by whatever trial she had emerged from during her long slumber.

Ever since the moon had vanished, it had never returned and for illumination, the three travelers had to make do with lighting the few candles and lanterns on board with flint and matches they found stored on deck. Lighting candles in such a primitive fashion when previously it had been so easy to ignite anything with one's own fingers was especially hard on Zuko. Melisande had long since been accustomed to the nuisance and found her nephew's frustration rather amusing.

Katara now felt the excessive inconvenience of not being able to use her bending even for the smallest and simplest tasks and she was frustrated as well. To be surrounded on all sides by an endless expanse of water and yet to be unable to bend even a single drop of it to one's will. Her current predicament was a water bender's nightmare.

But they realized that being angry or frustrated would achieve nothing for them and they all learned to deal with the inconvenience with relative composure and serenity.

During their discussions, the questions about the storms were constantly raised and they spent countless hours trying to understand it.

"So if you were preparing for so long for this storm, Aunt Melisande," Katara asked eagerly, "why didn't you tell us more about it? Before your confinement, we had barely any idea of what was to transpire or how we were to overcome it."

"I know you had faith in our figuring out eventually what was going to happen," Zuko added, "but don't you think your methods were a little bit too subtle?"

Melisande smiled at this and looked at the two, eager, young faces. She sighed deeply, as if preparing for a long speech, and commenced her explanation.

"You have to understand," she began, "that even at the beginning of your stay with me in exile, my knowledge of the coming storm was limited, at best. The only references I had were collections of literature left behind by the isle's previous inhabitants and these materials were varied and incoherent. I had to make sense somehow of generations of journals, unsent letters, observations, and even poetry composed by the more artistic exiles. Each and every one of those who were banished to this place has somehow been taught more and more about the mysteries of the island. And yet, the more that was revealed to us, the more convoluted and complicated the situation became."

"Revealed to you?" Katara repeated curiously, "by what? Or by whom?"

Zuko had narrowed his eyes and was looking at his aunt gravely. The elder firebender returned his gaze easily.

"Did I not mention to you earlier in your stay here," Melisande answered, "that the island somehow, for some unknown reason, communicate with its inhabitants. The alien force that enables the island to take away one's bending also drops strange clues about the nature of this place."

"What kind of clues?" Zuko asked, looking intently at his aunt.

"It is quite impossible to describe," Melisande answered, "all I know is that ever since I arrived on the island, I've had countless inexplicable dreams, and eerie visions. There were many times that I believed myself to be hallucinating but as I read the accounts of the previous inhabitants of the house, I learned that they too were plagued with these visions and this was the way it always has been. I was lucky that some of the exiles left accounts of their experiences in their journals or sketchbooks. The rest of them didn't seem too inclined to do so, probably driven by the despair and the loneliness of their exile.

Some of the scrolls I came upon were poems or sketches which I was unable to decipher. I remembered the stories about those who got banished to this place. No one was ever able to come back, no matter what they tried. And some of the exiles went mad from the solitude and emptiness. Not everyone can bear a life without one's bending. And not everyone held on to the hope of ever coming home. After all, it had never been done."

Melisande bowed her head at this, and closed her eyes, as if saying a silent prayer for the many fallen exiles who had succumbed to utter despair. Zuko and Katara, seeing her gravity, bowed their heads at well. There was a short silence.

"It was a good thing, then," Katara remarked, after a few moments, "that you never lost hope."

"I wouldn't say that," Melisande replied, "it isn't in the nature of firebenders in general to be hopeful. However, it is in our blood to be persistent and stubborn, is it not, nephew?" She winked at Zuko and he grinned back.

"So I was determined not to languish in despair for however long I would be in exile," Melisande continued, "I would learn as much as I could about this strange place and I would find some way to escape it."

"But if this was the best place to exile the most dangerous threats to the Fire Nation," Katara asked, "why are you alone? Why not send all the other traitors to be exiled to the same place?"

"Because the Fire Sages can only send one person to the isle at a time," Zuko answered, making the two women's heads turn to look at him, "so they have to choose their exiles very wisely. Otherwise, they can only send a new person here when the previous inhabitant has passed away." Katara gasped while Melisande nodded.

"You're absolutely right, Zuko," Melisande affirmed with a nod of approval, "it seems that you are very well-informed on the matter. You have quite a good education."

"When I was exiled myself," Zuko explained, "I tried to learn as much as I could about the conditions of the other Fire Nation exiles and to see just how many of them really deserved to be banished or were just victims of injustice. Most of them fell under the latter category."

"Don't look at me," Melisande said, raising her hands, "I really was involved in plots to overthrow the Fire Lord. I came up with them myself. So technically, I am a dangerous criminal."

They all laughed at this. The sound of their mirth was interrupted by a loud crash of thunder but by now, they were very used to it.

"But how are Zuko and I able to stay here with you if only one person can be sent to the island?" Katara asked.

"Well, only one person can be sent by the Fire Sages to the island," Melisande clarified, "I don't think my sister Ursa qualifies as a Fire Sage. Besides, her power is much greater than any of those old codgers can ever imagine."

Zuko and Katara nodded in understanding, remembering the mysterious woman who had sent them to that place.

"But now that the island is submerged deep in this ocean," Katara continued, "why did the moon disappear and why can't we bend yet?"

"Good observations, my dear," Melisande replied, "but the power that stops our bending is not restricted to the island alone. It is present in this entire world, the world of these endless waters, and this raging tempest."

"And that brings us back to the point," Zuko said," exactly how much did you know about the storm?" Katara turned her blue eyes on Melisande as well.

"I knew that it would be coming soon," the duchess replied, "because of my unique connection to my sister. She has the gift of foresight and none of her visions have ever gone wrong. I also knew that the storm would be both a physical and emotional burden for all those caught up in it. I was able to find some manuscripts about the atonement and cleansing rites of firebenders but none of them were very explicit. My own visions were merely of a great, indescribable pain, and the raging ocean, just like what we have right now. There was also a barrier, or a portal of some sort, which seemed to be the way back. But before I could ever reach it in my dreams, I would either wake up or be swamped by the black waves."

"I can understand the great flood, and the endlessly pouring rain," Zuko commented, "but what of the scorpent? I would never have thought mythical creatures would come to life all of a sudden."

"You forget that in this strange place," Melisande said, "anything is possible."

"You have a point," Zuko conceded. Considering all the things that had been happening to them during their stay in the intriguing place, such a thing wasn't too hard to believe.

"But if it wasn't for your killer aim," Katara praised the aunt, "we couldn't have gotten rid of that annoying monster on our own. You don't know just how much we tried."

Zuko nodded in assent, remembering the chaotic battle against the scorpent.

"Well," Melisande answered in mock modesty, "I've had eight years to practice and I was the best in my archery class. And we were trained by no less than the Yu Yan archers."

"The Yu Yan archers?" Zuko gasped in surprise while Katara looked on with puzzlement, "I didn't know they trained anyone in the Royal Family."

"In my time they did," Melisande explained with a smile, "ugh, my time, I feel so old now."

The two younger benders chuckled at this and even Melisande gave a mischievous smile.

"The training we received in the Fire Nation army at that time," she continued her explanation, "was a lot more diverse and holistic. We had to develop our skills in every aspect of battle."

"That's amazing," Zuko marveled, "but they don't do it the same way anymore. Mostly, training focuses on honing our firebending skills or specialized skills in certain weapons. But that's about it."

"Fire Nation soldiers of my generation were certainly an improvement on those in yours," Melisande teased, "but, I suppose, for our purpose, it's probably for the best that they're incompetent. That would make it so much easier to defeat the Fire Lord, wouldn't it?"

Katara nodded while Zuko looked serious. He seemed to be pondering something. Katara glanced at him nervously.

"You're going to have to get used to it, Zuko," Melisande said gently, "it is your destiny." Zuko lookep up at her and smiled reassuringly.

"I'm not worried about that," he explained, "I'm somewhat reconciled to that idea already. I'm just wondering why Father stopped the all-around training. What reason would he have to deprive his men of superior education which would serve in his best interests anyway?"

Both Katara and Melisande sighed with relief.

"Fortunately, there's a simple answer for that," Melisande replied, "arrogance."

Zuko and Katara looked at her curiously as she said this and they had to hold on to the bars on the walls of the room as another wave crashed against the starboard side. Once the boat recovered, Melisande continued.

"Unfortunately for your father," the aunt explained, "he wasn't too great with the bow and arrow. He was an excellent swordsman and firebender but he just didn't have the talent for the quiver."

"And you did," Katara observed. Melisande smiled slyly.

"Indeed," the older woman answered, "but Ozai was nevertheless convinced that he was still a superior fighter and if he could still succeed in fulfilling his plans without perfect marksmanship, then every one else ought to do so as well. He did not see the need to train his soldiers in archery since he already had the Yu Yan archers. And thus, the training was altered when Ozai ascended to the throne. It was not one of his wisest decisions but it was one that will now work to our favor."

"Things keep working our way, after all," Katara said with a smile, "it doesn't hurt to be an optimist every now and then."

"I don't know," Zuko opposed, "I'm still worried about our current situation. What are we to expect for the duration of this tempest? And how do we even know how long it will take for the storm to end?"

He and Katara turned to Melisande who raised her hands defensively.

"Don't look at me," she said, "I told you that my knowledge is limited. I've known that there would be a flood and that this house was actually a boat built by the brilliant architect and inventor Ta Zho."

"About that," Katara said, "why didn't you tell us that the house was a boat?"

"I had assumed that you would have figured it out soon enough," Melisande replied slyly, "after all, you grew up and the Water Tribe, around boats of every kind. And Zuko spent the last three years of his life running a ship, isn't that right?"

Both Zuko and Katara turned their heads away sheepishly. Once they had significantly gotten over the embarrassment, they continued to ask about the storm.

"Well, don't you have any idea at all about what may happen?" Zuko persisted. Melisande sighed.

"Only vague notions," she replied sadly, "I tore through many of the scrolls of the library and-"

"Library?" Zuko and Katara exclaimed in unison.

"Yes," Melisande answered, quite taken aback by their reactions, "on the west wing of the house, you can reach it through a trap door in the weapons room."

Melisande wondered at the two benders' surprise and watched with interest as Zuko and Katara's jaws dropped.

"So what did you discover?" Katara asked excitedly.

"A lot," Melisande answered, "but not all of the information was very helpful. Most of the scrolls and tomes there were volumes of poetry written by generations of exiles, rebellious sonnets and limericks which expressed nothing but the writer's disgust at their exile. Then, there were sketches of the different flora and fauna of the island. And the essays, oh I shudder to think of the pages and pages of philosophical discourses on the meaning of life, of existence, of consciousness, and of other lofty topics way beyond my appreciation. Your Uncle Iroh would have liked them but they were simply not my cup of tea." The last part she said with a wink.

"And then," Melisande proceeded, "there were some romance novels which I skimmed through as well as some compilations of myths and legends from all of the Four Nations. You would have found the way to defeat the Elemental Scorpent if you read those books."

"And you read every single book in the library?" Katara asked with amazement.

"Not all," Melisande conceded, "I still had to practice my bending and to figure out ways of escaping the island. And the library is such a vast collection that I couldn't possibly have finished reading everything even if I read incessantly for eight years. But the volumes I did find useful were the journals of Ta Zho himself. He wrote the dimensions of the ship and the procedures of navigating it. He also wrote that he had had a vision, not unlike mine, of a great flood engulfing the island. He had hoped that he would be able to escape once the storm came. But it never did. In his last entries, he expressed his hope that whoever would be on the island when the flood came would be able to use the ship to escape to freedom."

"Yes, we read that on the inscription of the propulsion system of the ship," Katara remembered.

"But what about the weapons?" Zuko questioned his aunt, "how could Ta Zho even build such a diverse collection of arms? He wouldn't have had the resources."

"That's where you are mistaken," Melisande replied, "in the earlier times, the Fire Sages didn't just send the exiles here on their own. The sages used to send the banished person along with his house and all his belongings all the way here to make his absence all the more felt. But in my time, they were content to simply send me all alone. It was a great time-saver and very economic for the new Fire Lord."

"You mean those are the possessions of the previous inhabitants?" Katara asked in awe.

"That's why the library became so vast," Melisande said, "the number of traitors sent to this place might probably equal the number of the Avatar's previous lives."

They discussed more about the ship and the variety of its inhabitants. They were also able to explore the library to read some of the tomes Melisande had not yet finished. However, time was flying by slowly and the rains didn't show signs of stopping. One particularly thunderous night, the topic of the storm was broached.

"Do you have any idea of what we might expect the longer this goes on?" Zuko asked his aunt.

She sighed for the umpteenth time and shook her head.

"Cliché as it may sound," she replied, "just expect the unexpected. What happens next? We'll just have to wait and see."

--

They no longer slept in their chambers/cabins since they took turns navigating the ship and had decided to stay as close together as possible. They all just spent their time in the pilot house and they were able to put some makeshift beds in the small room.

One strangely calm night, with minimal rains, Katara was at the helm, and she noticed something strange coming from the horizon. Unwilling to wake her companions over nothing, she peered carefully through the spyglass and tried to make out what the approaching things were.

The shadowy figures seemed to be a flock of birds of some sort and they were fast approaching the ship. Katara deliberated with herself about whether these birds were a potential threat when the sky was pierced with the shrillest shrieks she had ever heard.

Katara instinctively covered her ears to block out the noise. Zuko and Melisande didn't need any rousing as the noise of the shrieking echoed through the air.

"Ugh," Zuko cried in annoyance, covering his ears, "what is that unbearable screaming sound?" He walked to Katara who was shrugging as she covered her ears. Melisande had taken the spyglass from the waterbender's hands and was taking a closer look at the source of the screaming.

It was impossible for them to hear the former duchess curse under her breath, but she did shout one word rather audibly.

"Screech-hawks!"

--

"What?" Zuko yelled back.

"Screech-hawks," Melisande repeated loudly, "their screeching is deadly not just because it pierces your ear drums but because it distracts sailors, throws them off course, and drives them mad."

Zuko and Katara looked fearfully at each other, then at Melisande. She looked furious. The hawks had now reached the boat and were circling it malevolently while screeching at top volume.

The three sailors ground their teeth and pressed their hands more firmly against their ears.

"How do we get rid of them?" Katara shouted.

"Find something to cover your ears with first," Melisande instructed, "then I'll shoot them down."

"Isn't there anything we can do to help?" Zuko asked.

"You can finish them for me," Melisande replied, "I can't shoot to kill with all this racket and I'll need to bring them down as fast as I can. As soon as they reach the deck, take my arrows and then finish them off whatever way you wish to."

Zuko and Katara nodded and then they ran off to find ear plugs and weapons. There was no need to maneuver the ship this time because it had no course to begin with, and no rocks to crash against. And once again, an eerie calm had settled on the sea and the rains had ceased, making the noise of the screech-hawks all the more audible and unbearable.

Having found some makeshift ear plugs in the form of corks and other small things lying around, they all ran out to the outer deck to try and get rid of the nasty fiends.

The shrieking had become louder when the flock of screech-hawks spotted their victims. Even with their ear plugs they could still hear some of the ear-splitting screeches. The three passengers ground their teeth.

"It's time for these foul creatures to go down," Melisande yelled, raising her bow and arrow. Zuko and Katara expressed their agreement and readied their weapons as well.

After the first twang of Melisande's bow, the first screech-hawk fell on deck, an arrow at the junction where its beak met the rest of its black head. It was a larger than a regular hawk and had a long and wide beak from which its screeching came from. All of its long, wire-like feathers were as black as the night sky and its claws were sharp and dangerous.

"Kill it quickly," Melisande instructed over the din of the enraged flock, "then toss its foul carcass overboard." At this, she released another arrow and another injured screech-hawk fell to the ship. Zuko and Katara nodded and proceeded to quickly stab the hawks to death and then to toss them overboard. Katara was so disgusted by the spurting of the dark blood and the foul smell of the dead birds that she instinctively raised her hands to waterbend the carcasses off. Of course, this didn't work and she felt the frustration of not being able to bend all the more. She gritted her teeth and frowned as she stabbed the birds.

Seeing her exasperation, Zuko yelled, "Just imagine how we feel. If we had our bending, we could simply blast those vile birds off the sky."

Katara realized his point and smiled at his attempt to cheer her up.

Melisande had chosen to wound the beaks first to stop the raucous noise. Once injured and silenced, it was a lot easier to deal with the birds. It was hard for her to shoot them and send them to the ocean because the dark flock congregated right above the ship, as if preventing her from using that option. As each bird was eliminated, the arrows she used were pulled out so that she could re-use them over and over again. Her quiver was not an enchanted one that refilled itself and her supply of arrows was rather limited.

And it didn't help that there seemed to be no end to the flock of screech-hawks. No matter how much they had slain, more and more seemed to emerge from the dark east.

"Darn it," Melisande cursed as she released another arrow, "there seem to be hundreds of them." She cringed as the screeching grew louder with the arrival of more hawks. "And it's becoming harder and harder to focus."

"Can't we just sail away from them?" Katara yelled.

"The ocean is completely still," Zuko replied, "there's nothing to keep the ship moving."

"Won't they ever stop?" Katara cried in fury as the screeching amplified.

Cringing and gritting her teeth, Melisande replied, "They wait until we go mad with the noise, and then they will kill us with their sharp claws and feast on our flesh."

Zuko and Katara gulped at this. "Not a good prospect," Zuko commented.

"But Aunt Melisande can't shoot them all down by herself," Katara observed, while thinking that if only she could bend then maybe she could water-whip the creatures to the deck. And then, an idea hit her.

"Zuko, do you think you can take care of killing the screech-hawks for a bit," the waterbender requested, "I have an idea."

"Fine," Zuko conceded, plunging his scimitar into one of the bloodied hawks, "but it'd better be a good one!"

After a few minutes, Katara returned with two rope-like things hanging from her arms. She tossed one to Zuko.

"I hope you're good with whips," she shouted as she lashed hers against the nearest screech-hawk. The whip went around the bird's black body and with a powerful tug, Katara brought it down to the deck and stabbed it with the sword she held with her other hand.

"Nice strategy," Melisande called out, "I'll aim for the high-flying ones, then."

Zuko was similarly successful with his whipping and stabbing and the slaying of the screech-hawks soon became very quick and systematic. However, seeing that their numbers were depleting even with the arrival of new companions, the screech-hawks began flying higher and screeching much, much louder.

At the amplified din, Katara and Zuko had to drop their weapons and cover their ears more. Melisande's concentration had also been broken and her last arrow fell back on deck.

"How can we get rid of them with all this noise?" Katara yelled over the din of the screech-hawks.

Melisande's mind was racing. She struggled to think of a strategy until at last, she came up with a plan.

"Think of a mantra," she yelled at the two younger benders.

"A what?" Zuko and Katara yelled back.

"A MANTRA!" shouted the aunt, "just three words, no matter how ridiculous, that you can chant over and over again to distract yourselves. Do it now! Chant it while you kill them!"

The two looked at her curiously, holding their palms to their ears. Melisande rolled her eyes and decided to give them an example.

"Something like this," she cried, raising her bow again and aiming for the beak of the nearest screech-hawk, "OZAI ALWAYS CHEATS!!"

The bird fell squirming on the deck. Finally taking Melisande's cue, the other two plucked out the arrow, stabbed the bird, and tossed it overboard. Then, Zuko cracked his whip, muttering his mantra, and aimed for the nearest screech-hawk.

"AZULA ALWAYS LIES!" he yelled, lashing the bird to the deck, and subsequently stabbing it to death.

"SOKKA'S DIRTY SOCKS!" Katara yelled beside him, effectively vanquishing another unfortunate bird.

And this was the way things went on, much to the chagrin of the flock of screech-hawks, with the three fighters constantly chanting their mantras and again killing the screech-hawks quickly and systematically.

"OZAI ALWAYS CHEATS!"

"AZULA ALWAYS LIES!"

"SOKKA'S DIRTY SOCKS!"

Elsewhere, a father, daughter, and a young Water Tribe warrior were having an inexplicable fit of sneezing.

"Ooh, Azula," Ty Lee teased, "looks like someone's thinking about you."

Back on deck, a couple of hours later, the three travelers stood, panting for breath, shoulders heaving, as they finished off the last of the vile screech-hawks. As Zuko tossed the final carcass overboard, Katara wrinkled her nose at the stench of the bloodied deck and cringed at the sight of the disgusting black splotches on the floor.

But just like the aftermath of the sea scorpent battle, it once again began raining in torrents. Assured that the rainwater would wash away the muck, the three passengers of the ship returned to the control room.

"Well, we've certainly passed through the noisiest part of the storm," Melisande commented, removing her ear plugs, "but that was not necessarily the worst."

The other two benders groaned at this. Zuko slapped his forehead.

"Always the optimist," Katara muttered, rolling her eyes.

--

Melisande was right, of course. About a couple of weeks later, the rain slackened and the ocean became eerily calm.

Noticing this development, Zuko rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Here we go again," he muttered, letting go of the steering wheel and rousing his two companions. Melisande and Katara sighed exasperatedly when they heard the news.

The three of them grabbed their weapons, which they had cleaned and kept nearby in case of any emergency. Katara peered carefully through the spyglass and watched for the slightest movement anywhere beyond the ship. But no matter how many times she scanned the horizon, she could not spot anything out of the ordinary. The strange quiet pervaded the air and the windless darkness persisted.

"There's nothing out there," Katara concluded after having spent an hour surveying the surrounding areas.

"Are you absolutely certain?" Zuko asked her.

"Here," she said, handing the spyglass to him, "take a look for yourself."

He took it and peered through. But like Katara had said, he saw nothing. Melisande was getting more and more worried and suspicious about the situation. The longer they waited, the more her frown deepened. There was something particularly dangerous about the pervading silence.

They remained that way, lying in wait, weapons at the ready, for some time and yet nothing happened. Zuko was becoming more and more impatient and wanted to know what exactly was going on.

Melisande frowned. And Katara was getting nervous as well.

"This silence is a lot more infuriating than all the noise of the flock of screech-hawks," Zuko complained, "at least with them, we knew what to do."

"That's why it's important," replied Melisande calmly, "to keep a level head in the face of this crisis."

Zuko and Katara nodded in assent.

"But what could possibly be happening?" Katara asked in wonder.

Melisande wrinkled her forehead in deep thought. She motioned for Katara to hand her the spyglass and the older lady peered through. Melisande handed the instrument quickly to the other girl and Katara looked through it.

"What do you see now?" Melisande asked, her face determined and serious. Zuko recognized this look and knew that his aunt had somehow figured out what was going on.

"Nothing," Katara replied disappointedly, "everything's exactly the same as it was a few hours ago."

"Exactly the same?" Melisande asked.

Katara nodded and put down the spyglass. "Nothing has changed."

Melisande's eyes narrowed. "Just as I thought," she muttered before leaving the room and proceeding to the outer deck.

Katara looked at Zuko questioningly. He gazed at his aunt's figure.

"I don't know what that's about," he told Katara, "but she's on to something. It's best that we follow her." Katara nodded and they followed Melisande out.

The two youths saw the regal and solitary figure of the former duchess standing in the midst of the outer deck. Zuko noticed right away that his aunt's fists were clenched. And there was mist, a swirling curtain of mist all around.

"Aunt Melisande?" Zuko inquired carefully.

"Shh...," Melisande whispered to him, turning around and raising a finger to her lips, "it's a lot worse than I thought."

"Why?" Katara asked in a low tone.

"You said that the surroundings hasn't changed since you checked a few hours ago," Melisande said.

"Yes," Katara said, "but with this environment, darkness and water everywhere, it isn't as if the surroundings could change much."

"But the surroundings haven't changed, not even slightly," Melisande explained, "the ship is completely stationary."

"There's nothing to move it in any direction," Zuko repeated, "so this isn't surprising."

"Even without the force of the waves," Melisande countered, "the boat would at least sway from side to side or drift even a few meters in any direction. But it did not."

"What are you saying?" Zuko and Katara asked simultaneously. But before Melisande could answer, the two younger benders heard a strange, low pitched humming sound.

"What -?" the two youths asked. The humming grew more audible and they were all aware of eerie vibrations reverberating across the decks. The humming and the invisible force that came with it, was keeping the ship stationary, as if suspended in the same spot of water. And that was why the boat was not moving.

And then, slowly, slender incandescent creatures rose in smoky figures from the white mist.

Soon, the figures materialized into pale, glowing shapes of female bodies clad in long strips of seaweed. From the heads fell long, golden tresses which blew around their heads although there was no wind. Their faces had nothing but two glowing sockets for eyes and large, gaping mouths from which the peculiar humming sound came.

Zuko and Katara's eyes widened at the sight of the hordes of these pale figures which had risen from the water and now stood around them at all sides. Melisande's eyes narrowed in recognition.

"Sirens," she muttered, making the other two turn their heads to her.

"But I thought sirens were mysterious maidens whose lovely voices mesmerized sailors and made them run off course," Katara said in puzzlement.

"These are of a different sort," Melisande explained, not taking her eyes of the sirens for a single moment, "their voices are impossible to be heard by the human ear. The sounds they emit are of a different frequency. I'm not well acquainted with the particulars but I know that whatever sound they create from those gaping holes that are their mouths, it causes ships to be suspended and stationary, unable to move. And while the ships are still, these creatures make their approach. When they are close enough, they hypnotize passengers and then drag the unfortunates to their lairs, in the depths of the ocean."

"I never read that myth book," Katara said, marveling at Melisande's in-depth knowledge of the sirens.

"There is no such book," Melisande explained, "I learned this from the tales of sailors when I was traveling around the Four Nations."

"Come to think of it," Zuko said, "some of my men were familiar with the same account of the sirens. But I never really paid much attention to them, and I passed them off as superstition and hallucinations of inebriated men. Apparently, there was some truth in those tall tales."

"Not all sailors are delusional," Melisande said, "or drunk. After all, they can be quite credible."

"But how come they waited so long to appear?" Katara asked, now walking closer to Melisande and Zuko, and away from the sirens.

"They were waiting for us to come out," Melisande said, her eyes on the silky figures.

"Well," Zuko said, raising his weapons, "how do we defeat them?"

At this question, Melisande sighed heavily. One of the sirens cocked her head and moved closer to the ship.

"Before I say it," Melisande began, "you will have to promise to believe me, no matter how ridiculous it sounds. And not to make any violent or irrational reactions."

Zuko and Katara nodded quickly, eager to know the way to get rid of the eerily quick sirens.

"You must promise," Melisande persisted seriously.

"I promise, I promise," the two young ones said hastily, and slightly impatiently. Melisande thought they both looked a little doubtful but she could not afford to stall any longer. She glanced quickly at the approaching wraith-like forms of the sirens and took a deep breath.

"You're going to have to sing," she announced simply.

For a moment, Zuko and Katara found that they had lost all faculty of speech. Their eyes grew unbelievably wide and their jaws had dropped. Melisande groaned and slapped her forehead. She had expected this much.

"WHAT?!" Both young people shouted incredulously. "NO WAY!" They shouted again.

"You promised not to overreact about this," Melisande reminded them.

"But, but," they reasoned. The aunt raised a finger to silence them and Zuko and Katara dejectedly kept their peace.

"Isn't there any other way?" Katara pleaded. Melisande shook her head.

"If we get close enough to them to stab them with a sword," the aunt explained, looking at her nephew, "they'll drag us down to the depths without a moment's hesitation."

"What about long distance fighting?" Zuko suggested, impatiently trying to find an alternative, "you could shoot them with your arrows."

Melisande shook her head again, amused by her nephew's disconcertment.

"The arrows would simply pass through them," she explained, "they're practically ghosts at this distance."

Zuko and Katara groaned. Melisande put her hands to her hips.

"Stop acting like children," she reprimanded, "it isn't so hard."

"It's embarrassing," Zuko complained. Melisande shrugged that reaction off.

"Who's going to be your audience, anyway, Zuko?" Melisande reasoned, "it's just us. And we can all promise never to speak of this to anyone ever."

"Another thing," she argued, "the more off key you sound, the better."

"Are you implying that I can't hold a tune," Katara said defensively. Melisande rolled her eyes.

"No, you're doing that yourself," the duchess answered, making Katara look sheepish." Melisande raised her hands in exasperation.

"The point is," she continued, "they are extremely sensitive to music off-key. The more annoying and terrible your singing sounds, the more irritated and hurt they will get. That's just the way it is."

"How do we know that it'll work?" Zuko asked.

"Are you doubting me now?" Melisande warned, "after everything I've told you. Besides, we won't know if the saying is true unless we try it for ourselves."

Zuko and Katara cringed at the thought. For them, they could handle battles and fights of the hardest kind. But this was simply undignified.

"Give me an Agni Kai any day," Zuko muttered, "but just not this."

Melisande rolled her eyes and folded her arms. She took another sideways glance at the approaching sirens.

"Fine," she concluded, "I'm not going to waste any more time nursing your pride. It's simple enough to get rid of these creatures."

Zuko and Katara stared at her as she took a deep breath, her eyes closed in concentration, and opened her mouth.

"_Winter, spring, SUMMMER, and fall," _Melisande sung, although it was not in the way Zuko remembered Iroh singing it. It was less soft and mellow. She was making the song as loud, annoying, and as off-key as possible.

"_Winter, Spring, SUMMER, and FALL_

_Four seasons, Fo-o-o-our Lo-oves,_

_Four seasons, Fo-o-o-our Loves," _Melisande continued.

"I'm tempted to get those ear plugs again, Aunt," Zuko teased. Melisande pouted.

"Shut up."

"Look," Katara cried in excitement, "they're retreating."

Both Zuko and Melisande turned to look in the direction Katara was pointing at. True enough, some of the wraiths had raised arm-like structures to the sides of their heads and they seemed to be howling in agony. They were also backing away slightly from the ship.

"It worked!" Katara cried but when she saw Melisande's smug expression, she decided to be quiet about it.

"Go on, say it," Zuko said, "say 'I told you so'"

"Too early for that," Melisande said, seeing that they were still surrounded by sirens, who had recovered quickly from the song, "I have to sing again. And this time, I don't want to be doing it alone."

She glared powerfully at her two companions who, albeit very hesitantly, nodded their heads. Melisande once again took a very deep breath.

"_Winter, spring," _she began.

This time, Katara joined her. After a few moments of trying to remember any annoying song, Katara recalled one that she cringed to sing.

"Here goes," the young waterbender said, "I just want to say that this isn't the best song I know. But it was the first thing that came to my head."

"Well," Melisande muttered, in between her song, "sing it now. _Four seasons, fo-o-o-our lo-oves, four seasons, fo-o-o-our loves."_

Katara took a long and deep breath while Zuko was still thinking of a song.

"_Two lovers," _Katara begun as loud and as off-key as she could,

"_forbidden from one another_

_A war divides their people_

_And a mountain divides them apart_

_Built a path to be together.."_

Taking a deep breath, Katara summoned every ounce of courage in her to belt the next lines.

"_SECRET TUNNEL! SECRET TUNNEL! SECRET, SECRET, SECRET, SECRET TUNNEL!"_

The sirens were now screaming in pain and were retreating further and further away from the disastrous medley of Melisande and Katara's singing. Melisande urged the girl to repeat the performance, and having gained some confidence after the first try, Katara obliged.

"_Winter, spring, summer, and fall.."_

"_Two lovers, forbidden from one another.."_

"_Four seasons, fo-o-o-our lo-oves,"_

"_A war divides their people…"_

"_four seasons, fo-o-o-our loves."_

"_SECRET TUNNEL! SECRET TUNNEL! SECRET, SECRET, SECRET, SECRET TUNNEL!"_

"It's working!" Katara exclaimed seeing the sirens move further and further away from them. But they were still surrounded.

"We need some back-up," Melisande commented. At this, both women glared at Zuko. He looked sheepish.

"What?" he said defensively, "I can't think of a song yet."

"You won't get away that easily," Katara warned walking towards him.

"And that's a lousy excuse," Melisande scolded, "you spent three years around Iroh and you can't remember a single song. What in the world is wrong with you?"

Zuko raised his hands in defense but his companions were relentless. The sirens had recovered and were now approaching the ship again. Seeing this development, Melisande and Katara looked at each other slyly. They stood still and folded their arms.

"We're doing all the work around here," Katara said with a pout, "it's time you earned your share."

"What?" Zuko shouted, "you can't be serious." One look at them made him realize that they were.

He groaned audibly, but seeing the sirens come closer and seeing how adamant Melisande and Katara were, he sighed in defeat.

"All right, all right," the young man conceded, making his two companions grin, "I'll do it."

Like Melisande and Katara, he took a deep breath.

"_It's a long, long way to Ba Sing Se," _he began doubtfully. Melisande and Katara's eyes told him to continue. He sighed again, bracing himself for the embarrassment.

"_But the girls in the city_

_They look so-ho pretty."_

At this, both Melisande and Katara's eyes widened. And then, they burst into a fit of giggles. Zuko rolled his eyes but continued, seeing that the sirens weren't liking his performance.

"_And they kiss so sweet_

_  
That you really got to meet_

_The girls from Ba Sing SE!!"_

Having finished, the sirens were once again screaming in pain while Katara and Melisande were applauding his performance in the midst of their laughter.

"Bravo, Zuko," Melisande teased, "bravo."

He glared at her. The sirens were now quite some distance from the ship but they were still there.

"And now," Melisande announced theatrically, "for the grand finale. Let's get rid of these sirens once and for all, shall we?"

Zuko and Katara nodded eagerly. They were all eager for this ordeal to be over.

"Let us begin," Melisande said.

"_Winter, spring, summer, and fall.."_

"_Two lovers, forbidden from one another.."_

"_It's a long, long way to Ba Sing Se…"_

"_Four seasons, fo-o-o-our lo-oves,"_

"_A war divides their people…"_

"_but the girls in the city, they look so-ho pretty…"_

"_four seasons, fo-o-o-our loves."_

"_SECRET TUNNEL! SECRET TUNNEL! SECRET, SECRET, SECRET, SECRET TUNNEL!"_

"_..the girls from BA SING SE!!"_

After this grand, off-key medley, the sirens found themselves adequately tortured. The three benders repeated their songs louder than ever, forcing all the wraiths to retreat. Still, the three performers continued, knowing that the sirens might still be waiting underneath the waters.

When the first drops of rain appeared from the dark clouds and the slightest wind was felt, they finally stopped singing. They raised their hands gratefully to the stormy sky. Melisande even took a bow.

As they walked back into the ship, Melisande beamed at her two companions.

"Now, that wasn't so bad, was it?" she asked.

"We never speak of this," Zuko warned seriously, causing Melisande and Katara to erupt in laughter once more, "NEVER."

--

Another stormy but otherwise uneventful week passed for the three exiles. Melisande stood on the outer deck, observing the clouds and sniffing the air. Zuko was busy navigating the ship. Katara approached Melisande.

The former duchess was more solemn than usual and her eyes narrowed at the sky.

"I believe," Melisande proclaimed somberly, "that we've reached the final leg of our journey."

Katara frowned at the seriousness of this pronouncement.

"How do you know that?" the waterbender asked with worry.

Melisande raised a pale finger towards the north.

"There," she said, "it's the maelstrom I've been dreaming about for so long. Even the previous inhabitants of the house have written about it in their journals and poems. Beyond that dark, mass of water, is the gateway back to our world."

Katara gazed incredulously at Melisande, and then the waterbender looked towards the maelstrom. Could it be that after months of journeying, they would finally go home?

"So if we are able to sail around that whirlpool somehow," Katara cried excitedly, "we'll be able to go home at last."

Melisande shook her head sadly. Katara looked at her with puzzlement.

"We won't sail around that maelstrom," Melisande whispered, closing her eyes, "we must sail through it."

"What?" Katara gasped, "but how can we possibly survive that?"

"I've often dreamed of sinking into those dark, swirling depths of the ocean," Melisande muttered, "and I've always emerged to see the barrier. We will survive this. It is our destiny."

"I trust you," Katara said, after a few moments of contemplation, "we've all gotten this far together. We're not going to give up now."

Melisande smiled at the girl's determination and nodded in approval.

"Let's go tell Zuko," Katara said, and she turned to go to the pilot house. Melisande watched the young girl's back and sighed.

"I'm glad you sent her here to be with us, sister," the lady whispered, "I don't know what we'd do without her."

Once Zuko had been alerted to the situation, he too expressed his determination to see it through.

"Now," Melisande instructed, "there's no point navigating the boat any longer. The maelstrom will pull us into it no matter what we do. The important thing is for us to stay together. Zuko, you must secure these chairs as firmly as you can to the floor and the wall, put three of them side by side."

Zuko quickly went to do as he was told.

"Katara," Melisande continued, "go find me the best rope there is on this ship."

Katara left to find the ship. Soon after, when all the needed conditions had been met, Melisande instructed the two to sit side by side on two of the seats, Zuko had nailed against the floor and the wall. Melisande then proceeded to tie Zuko and Katara up as tightly as she could to the seats, and to the wall. The duchess had a tight coil of rope around her as well. When she was satisfied with tying up the other two, she went to her seat, slid the coils of rope around her on the back of the chair, tied her legs, and tightened the coil as firmly as she could.

"The important thing," she warned, "is that we don't get separated from the ship or from each other. This maelstrom is going to be the worst trial we're ever going to endure during this storm but it will be the last. We'll be going home soon. Never forget that, and never lose hope."

Zuko and Katara nodded at her.

"Just remember," Melisande continued, "that no matter what happens, never let go."

At this, she stretched her hand and grasped Zuko's. Zuko then grabbed Katara's hand with his free one and clasped it tightly. They were already feeling the ship surge forward with the power of the whirlpool pulling them in.

"Don't let go," Katara whispered more to reassure herself. Hearing this, Zuko clasped her hand tighter and she looked at him gratefully.

The ship was moving faster and faster now, rapidly being sucked into the whirlpool. The three exiles clasped hands tightly and closed their eyes, bracing themselves for the experience.

And then, they held on tighter as they felt the ship descend into the depths of the maelstrom. Their backs leaned more against the walls, and they opened their eyes to see some of the objects in the ship flying out the window.

The water was coming in and the wind was chillier than they had ever felt it. They clasped hands tighter and closed their eyes as they felt the downward force of the ship. It became more powerful than ever after a few moments.

The whirlpool was now engulfing the small ship in whole and Zuko, Katara, and Melisande could feel the circular motion of the water. They grew dizzy from the endless spinning, deeper and deeper. They had long since lost the light and darkness was everywhere. Darkness and cold.

And they spiraled, downward, and downward, lower, and lower, the whole time clasping hands as tightly as they could and whispering inaudible prayers.

"We'll get through this, we'll get through this," Katara chanted to herself, "we'll get through this, and I know we will."

"We didn't come this far, suffer this much," Zuko was thinking as he held on for dear life, "to be thwarted by even the greatest of whirlpools. Fate can throw the worst at me, I will overcome it. I haven't fulfilled my destiny and I will not let anything take my destiny away from me."

"I've waited far too long for this," Melisande was thinking, "I've paid for all my crimes. I will not be denied my freedom any longer. I am ready to face the worst."

They held on tighter and gritted their teeth, forcing themselves to endure the pain, and hardship and the ship spun faster and faster and as the waters drenched and soaked them and as they shivered from the cold.

They fell, they plunged, they spun, for hours and hours, or even days, they lost track of time. All they knew was darkness, cold, the dizzying spinning, the sinking feeling of falling down into a vast abyss, and the maddening roar of the waters. But through all this chaos and turbulence, there was a light of hope.

What made them retain their hope was the pressure of each other's hands on their own, the assurance of someone else's presence, of someone dear, of someone precious.

They held on, tears flowing from their eyes and merging with the walls of waters that rolled around them. They bit their lips and took deep, freezing breaths.

"I understand now," Melisande thought as her tears flew to the waters, "this journey was not meant to be taken alone. I couldn't have made it without them. All my arrogance and belief in my own abilities was what led to my downfall anyway. I was not to go down this dark road in isolation."

"But this isn't the end of my life. No. There are still some things to mend, a future to build, a war to end. We won't be defeated by this storm, we haven't been defeated by any of the other obstacles it threw our way, and that winning streak won't stop now."

"Sokka, Aang, Toph, dad," Katara whispered, remembering their faces, their voices, seeing them all in her mind's eye, smiling at her, welcoming her back with open arms. Her family. Her loved ones. She would see them soon. How she missed them all. How she wanted to see them again. And she would. She would. Nothing would stop her.

She tightened her grip around Zuko's hand. Zuko. He had become someone dear to her as well. Dear and precious as everyone else.

And Melisande had treated her like a member of the family. Whatever happened, they would all make it out of this horror alive.

"This is not the end for me," Zuko thought, "I've only just realized my own destiny and atoned for all my mistakes. This is not the end for me."

He clutched at his aunt's hand and Katara's hand tightly.

His aunt had taught him many thing during this stay here and she had treated him with kindness and respect. Despite the difficulties they endured, she always proved her love and concern for him. He hoped to one day return that debt.

And Katara. He owed her just as much, or even more. The waterbender who was once his enemy had now become a great and loyal friend, one he had never had. There was no one like her. No one at all.

The Avatar, he had to help the Avatar.

His father, Azula, his country. He had to make things right again. He would live through this and everything would work out.

They were descending, in a circular motion, descending quickly, dizzyingly, into the abyss, into the void, into an intangible nothingness. Round and round and round and round.

Down,

And down,

And down,

And down,

And down.

And then, there was nothing.

--

Then, light banished the darkness forever.

Zuko, Katara, and Melisande opened their eyes suddenly.

Seeing the rays of sunlight pierce through the formerly dark grey clouds, the three voyagers smiled and simultaneously heaved a huge sigh of relief.

"Finally."


	24. Chapter 24

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar. That is that.

AN: This is going to be a Zutara chapter but I'm a bit apprehensive about your reactions to the contents. There will be some cheesiness and fluff but the extent of which is pleasant I have no idea. Please just let me know if there are things to work on and I'll gladly take your advice. I don't think I write emotional scenes well because I'm not a very emotional person, myself. I couldn't resist using some lines from "Pride and Prejudice", so forgive me. That story is just perfect for Zuko and Katara. And if you're going to get frustrated with Zuko and Katara's hesitation, blame me for being so hesitant to write the last part of this chapter because of my fear of fluff.

And furthermore, this is the second to the last chapter. Enjoy.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

It was the most magnificent display of firebending Katara had ever seen.

Having finally recovered their bending, Zuko and Melisande were celebrating by sending spectacular sets of fire blasts into the air. Katara was glad to be able to bend again but her happiness and relief was eclipsed by the joy of the other two, who had lost their bending far longer than she had, most especially Melisande. As Katara balanced a globe of glowing water with her expert fingers, she observed the older of the jubilant firebenders.

Watching the amazing and incomparable display of Melisande's talents, Katara was awed by the lady's impressive feats of bending. The young waterbender realized that there was still so much of Melisande's power as a firebender that the former had not shown before. Clearly, Melisande was not called a firebending prodigy for nothing. She controlled her element more effortlessly and fluidly than any other bender she had seen. The fire looked as if it was dancing around Melisande's body, licking at her outstretched arms and, there was no other word to describe it, flowing out of Melisande's fingers like silken threads. The lady closed her eyes in concentration, moving and flexing her fingers and crossing her palms, weaving an ineffably beautiful flaming tapestry. Both Katara and Zuko's eyes widened at the creation, marveling at the unique and creative use of the element.

She isn't merely a firebending master, Katara thought, she's an artist. Even after living with Melisande for so long, Katara realized that the lady was just as mysterious as ever, and still full of surprises.

Zuko paused in his firebending to watch his aunt display her talents. Engrossed in her element, Melisande seemed to be oblivious to the stares of the other two. Zuko's eyes widened at his aunt's firebending. The moves and techniques she performed were some he had never seen or heard of before. The grace and style of her movements were mesmerizing and her intimacy with the fire was something he had never experienced or witnessed in any other firebender, master or prodigy. And while the flames danced with Melisande, she seemed to be dancing with them as well.

There was power and intensity in her bending coupled with poise and control. Zuko could find no words to describe it. And he also knew that the Melisande he had beaten in the Agni Kai on the island was not the same person who stood on deck today. She was so much stronger than he had imagined, so much more powerful, and so much more dangerous.

It was no wonder the Fire Lord thought her enough of a threat to be banished so hastily to the isle. She seemed capable of wreaking so much havoc all by herself.

Melisande then paused and with a graceful style, she placed her palm over her lips, and then took it away, blowing a small but growing flame that burst from her mouth and then took the shape of a huge dragon. Zuko and Katara gaped at the spectacle and stood transfixed for a few minutes as Melisande took a deep breath to recover.

Melisande was definitely a force to reckon with, Katara thought.

With her full powers restored, Zuko pondered, she is far more powerful, and has far more experience. There's no possible way for me to defeat her. Not with my current skills.

The younger firebender was humbled by his aunt's realization of her powers and he knew that the best way for him to achieve what she had was to learn as much as he could from her.

"Well, you should stop staring at me now," Melisande said with amusement to her two spectators, "you're making me blush."

Zuko walked towards his aunt humbly and expressed his admiration for her firebending. Katara complimented the lady as well but the waterbender was also interested in Zuko's reaction to his aunt's full powers.

"What's wrong, nephew?" Melisande asked, her golden eyes noting Zuko's awe and humility, "You look rather crestfallen."

"I just realized, Aunt," he replied slowly, "that there is still so much for me to learn."

Melisande smiled proudly and clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"Well said, Zuko," she praised, "the first step to true wisdom is admitting that you do not know."

Once again, Zuko and Katara stared at her, surprised at her profoundness. Melisande raised her eyebrows, and then rolled her eyes.

"What?" she cried defensively, "only Iroh is allowed to spew out words of wisdom. I don't think so."

They all laughed at this, all content to finally have things back to normal, to a certain extent. Katara gazed at the serene waters of the ocean and the blazing sun. There was not a single spot of land to be seen in any direction.

"We're not in the Four Nations yet, are we?" she asked, in a sad tone.

Melisande gravely shook her head. Zuko looked pensive.

"But don't look so glum," Melisande cheered them, "we are very nearly there. The storm is over and the ship is moving towards the gateway where we shall pass to get back home."

"Wait a minute," Zuko said, "the ship is moving on its own accord?"

Katara realized the strange situation and looked questioningly at Melisande.

"Not exactly," the aunt explained, "we have passed the test of the powers that control this place and whatever invisible force that was pulling us towards the maelstrom is now pulling us to the barrier. That is why the sun has risen once more and so will the moon later tonight. And that is why our bending has been restored."

"But how long are we going to wait until we get there?" Zuko asked impatiently.

"I honestly do not know," Melisande replied, to Zuko and Katara's chagrin, "but don't worry, it won't be as long as the storm. And there are still so many things we have to do, preparations to be made, and plans to be fixed."

"What?" the two benders reacted incredulously and simultaneously.

Melisande sighed and said that she wasn't going to repeat herself.

"We all have to practice our bending again," Melisande explained, "we want to be in prime condition to be able to best contribute to the Avatar's campaign against the Fire Lord."

Hearing this piece of rational advice, the other two nodded in agreement. Having temporarily lost their bending, they needed to work extra hard to hone the skills that had lain idle during the storm. They all had to be stronger by the time they returned to their friends and family.

"And furthermore," Melisande added, "there are still a few techniques I'd like to teach you, Zuko. The limitation imposed on our powers on the island rendered me unable to do so at the time. But now we have ample opportunity to resume your training."

"Certainly, Aunt," Zuko exclaimed eagerly, "we can begin right now."

Katara looked at him curiously, amused by his eagerness. Zuko didn't have Aang's vivacity or natural talent, the waterbender thought, but he was certainly very determined and hardworking. She smiled and then checked herself. While they waited to get home, there were a few things Katara still wanted to clarify with herself about Zuko.

Apparently, Melisande felt similarly amused. She shook her head at her nephew.

"No, no," the older firebender said gently, "our first priority is getting enough rest. That maelstrom drained much of our energy and we all need to recharge before we can continue our training."

The other two nodded at her.

"And once we've regained our former prowess," Melisande continued with that familiarly dangerous sparkle in her eyes, "the real work will begin."

--

About a week later, Zuko was busy training on the upper deck. It was a particularly hot day but he was determined to take advantage of the solar power so he discarded his shirt and was practicing the motions of a new technique his aunt had shown him three days before. His brow was knotted in concentration, and his eyes were narrowed. Sweat was pouring down his back but he paid no heed to it, as usual, so engrossed was he in his training. After a few deep breaths, he swiftly executed the motions and released fire in a series of swift and fluid movements. After a short pause, he returned to his starting position, regaining his poise.

"Good job."

The firebender turned to see Katara watching him from one corner of the deck. She was taking a break from her own training which she had done so as relentlessly as he did. She refused to be outclassed by the firebenders and wanted to show the same dedication and discipline that they were so she forced herself to work extra hard.

"Thanks," Zuko muttered awkwardly, rubbing his neck and looking away from her. If he had looked at her, he would have seen that she seemed to be focusing her attention on her feet.

They had been through so much together during this strange adventure that when there were peaceful, uneventful moments like these, they found themselves at a loss for words. They were at ease with one another in other aspects and they were certainly on friendly terms. But there was a certain something which hindered them from talking freely and casually to each other in moments like these.

Deep within them, they both knew what the situation really was but as was the usual practice, they were reluctant to admit anything. And so, they always felt so awkward around one another.

On certain occasions, Zuko would make some inane comment about the weather and Katara would reply with something similarly mundane. But somehow they felt that the time for small talk had long passed. There was something hanging in the air that needed to be cleared up between them.

"Listen, Katara," Zuko began hesitantly, somewhat eager to relieve the tension.

"Yes?" Katara said expectantly, walking a few steps towards Zuko.

"Well, I..." Zuko stammered, struggling to find the right words. Katara was nervous as well, not knowing if she was ready for such a confrontation, although she initiated it.

To their relief, Melisande came in suddenly, saying something about teaching Zuko another very special firebending technique. The aunt paused, seeing the two youths awkwardly looking away from each other. Melisande knew what this was about, of course, and she was sometimes frustrated with the lack of development but she decided that Zuko and Katara would choose the right moment to admit their feelings. In the meantime, she could inflict some misery on their tortured souls.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Melisande said, feigning ignorance, "am I interrupting something?"

Their reaction was as she expected. The two young benders both turned red and shook their heads violently, denying anything. Melisande rolled her eyes. Typical.

"Anyway, as I was saying," the aunt continued on a more serious note, after all, those two could figure out their problems later on, "there's one last, very important technique I'd like to teach you, Zuko. It's one of those things I made up myself so no one else should know about it."

Katara became curious about this and Zuko expressed his willingness to learn. Melisande smiled.

"It's the firebender way of metalbending," she said simply.

--

"Metalbending?" both youths cried out incredulously. Melisande rolled her eyes yet again. Those two were beginning to have eerily similar reactions to everything. And once again she was bombarded with questions which she endeavored to answer with patience.

"I know metalbending is possible," Katara said, "my friend Toph said that she was able to do it. She told me during the eye of the storm that she was able to manipulate the earthly impurities in metal and bend them just like earth. But she's an earthbender. Water can slice through metal but I can't use it to bend the metal and neither can Aang use his air."

"I don't doubt you, Aunt," Zuko said simply, "but I'm still curious to know how it's done."

"Exactly why I'm teaching you," Melisande replied, rather crossly, "I'm surprised you two haven't figured it out. It's true that metal contains minerals and properties from the earth and therefore can be manipulated that way. In fact, I'm rather impressed by your earthbender friend's achievements. My way is different, of course. But remember how metal is molded into the desired shape."

"Well," Zuko said, after some thought, "it's melted at the furnace and poured into a mold." And then it hit him. He looked at his aunt excitedly, the spark of realization illuminating his golden eyes. Melisande nodded. Katara seemed to reach the same conclusion herself and felt thrilled by it.

"You can use firebending to melt the metal," Katara explained, "and then shape it in whatever way you wish."

"Precisely," Melisande approved. Zuko was now eager to begin.

"But you'll need a lot of energy to succeed in this," Melisande continued, "melting metal requires intense heat, the fire has to be concentrated at a very, very high temperature. Once again, control and concentration will be necessary."

Melisande picked up one of the swords that was lying around the deck. Motioning to Zuko and Katara to observe carefully, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and pressed two of her fingers against the blade. Small flames emerged from her fingertips and covered the entire blade in bluish fire. After a few moments, the metal blade began to soften and still with flames on her fingers Melisande began molding it to various shapes, just like using pottery clay. Zuko and Katara watched in awe as Melisande performed this feat. Melisande finished the demonstration by restoring the sword to its original shape.

"And there you have it, fire metalbending," she concluded, "I'm quite sure that it will come in handy for you, Zuko. Now, shall we begin?"

"At once," Zuko said eagerly. But before he followed his aunt to their training area, he paused and glanced at Katara, a question in his eyes.

She returned his gaze with a smile.

"We'll talk some other time," the waterbender told him reassuringly. Zuko nodded.

"I'm looking forward to it."

--

A fortnight passed and Zuko finally mastered fire metalbending, as well as the other techniques his Aunt had taught him. He trained constantly and relentlessly and Melisande often trained with him. Katara, likewise, focused her energies on creating and perfecting new techniques of her own, following Melisande's example. The aunt admired the waterbender's dedication and often joined Katara in training, if only to give the girl encouragement and support, which the latter greatly appreciated. Time passed on the ship in this fashion, with the benders honing their skills and waiting patiently for their arrival at the gateway.

One very bright morning, Melisande stood on deck, surveying the sky very thoroughly. When Zuko saw her, he was under the impression that she was waiting for something, or someone. This puzzled him and when Katara walked to that side of the boat, he expressed his concern for his aunt. The waterbender observed the lady and agreed that she seemed rather expectant. They decided to observe Melisande first and then question her later.

The sunlight was bearing down on the ship and the sky was perfectly clear. Melisande raised a hand to shield her eyes from the glare.

She stood like this for close to an hour. Finally, when Katara decided it was far too hot for Melisande to stay under the sun, she approached the solemn figure.

But right at that moment, Melisande's golden eyes narrowed, finally spying what she had been waiting for. The lady smiled and raised her arm. From where they were, Katara and Zuko's eyes widened.

A speck appeared from the sky. It moved faster and faster until a slender form became visible.

Katara's eyes narrowed. Could that be a new threat? Zuko was also concerned but seeing as his aunt seemed to expect it, he decided to hope for the best.

Little by little, the creature came into view. Katara gasped when she saw a slender, short snake emerge from the clouds. The serpent had white, feathered wings on its head and it was flying towards Melisande.

So fast did it dive that in a few moments, it had coiled familiarly around Melisande's outstretched arm. The lady smiled and stroked the snake gently, crooning to it softly.

Zuko and Katara approached Melisande carefully, curious about the snake. As they neared it, they noticed that it had a scroll wound around its body.

"I'd like you to meet Sicca," Melisande announced, without for a moment taking her eyes off the winged serpent, "one of my most trusted allies."

"Sicca?" Katara repeated, looking suspiciously at the bright-eyed snake. Zuko was wary of the creature as well. Melisande laughed at their uncertainty.

"Don't be afraid," the lady explained, "he only attacks my enemies and he can sense those who are my allies. He is unfalteringly reliable and so much better than the best messenger hawks. Next to my connection with Ursa, Sicca was my only other link to the outside world. The last time I saw him was just before the two of you arrived. After that, I don't think he was able to get through the barrier during the storm."

After resting for a few moments on Melisande's arm, Sicca uncoiled himself floated in the air as Melisande unraveled the scroll from the scaly body. When she had done so, Sicca swiftly flew away, towards the water.

"Where is he going?" Katara asked with alarm.

"Don't worry about him," Melisande dismissed, her eyes on the scroll, "he's probably hungry so he's just going to do some fishing. He'll be back later."

"What news?" Zuko asked, going near his aunt as she scanned the scroll she received. She smiled as she handed the scroll to her nephew.

"Excellent news, indeed," she announced, "apparently, the Avatar has gathered a large invasion force consisting of members of the other nations, including some deserters from the Fire Nation. The captain of my rebel troops writes to ask me if it is my intention for them to join the Avatar."

"Your rebel troops?" Katara asked curiously.

"Aunt Melisande was banished because she was assembling a large group of Fire Nation traitors in a plan to overthrow the Fire Lord," Zuko explained, "that's what got her banished here."

Melisande smiled proudly at this recitation of her "crimes".

"I suppose," Zuko continued, looking at his aunt, "that once you had been banished, your army became scattered and went into hiding."

"Not exactly," Melisande corrected, "you underestimate my organization skills. Long before I was banished, we already knew that it was a possibility. So we were ready with a backup plan. After all these years, they're remained loyal, organized, and secret, waiting for my signal to strike."

"No offense, Aunt Melisande," Katara said, "but why didn't they just join Aang when they heard he had returned?"

"It was too risky, at the time, to reveal themselves," Melisande replied, "and the Fire Lord's cronies were truly expecting them to do such a thing so they were being watched. As for the rest, they really didn't know what to believe. They refused to trust in rumors. Even if the Avatar had returned, they doubted that one boy would be able to save us all."

"But only the Avatar has the power to restore balance to the world," Katara argued.

"Unlike you, Katara," Melisande replied gravely, "I did not sustain any hopes of the Avatar returning. But I knew this much: if change was to come, there must be people to affect it. We shouldn't rely entirely on the powers of a single being. It is both an injustice to the Avatar and an insult to the capabilities of every member of the Four Nations. After all, this is our future we are fighting for, aren't we all accountable for it?"

Katara realized the point and nodded in agreement. Zuko gazed intently at his aunt, understanding her meaning.

"We all have roles to play in ending this war," Zuko said, "and, just like I realized, where we stand at the end of this, is our choice and our destiny."

"I couldn't have said it better myself," Melisande commented proudly, "now, run along and get me a scroll and some ink, Zuko. I need to compose and send a reply as quickly as possible. You don't want help to be delayed."

Zuko did as he was told. And after a few rushed scribbling, Sicca was once again soaring through the sky to deliver the message.

--

Sicca returned several days later, bearing another message. Zuko was busy training while the two ladies were sharing techniques. Melisande quickly unraveled the scroll and gasped after reading its contents.

"What's the matter?" Katara asked in alarm. Melisande smiled enigmatically.

"It's finally here," she muttered, "the key to the gateway."

"Key?" Katara asked, "what do you mean?"

"There is only one way of opening the portal back to our world," Melisande explained, pointing to the scroll, "according to a prophecy, the key lies in the harmony among all four elements, and the merging once more of two halves that have been long separated. Ursa and I are the two halves and it was important for each of us to be standing on opposite sides of the portal. As for creating harmony among the four elements, I now understand why you were sent here with Zuko."

"I'm listening," Katara said.

"Fire and Water, Earth and Air," Melisande elaborated, "those are the opposite pairs of elements, right? So if both pairs would be able to achieve harmony with one another, and these pairs were on opposite sides of the portal, the gateway would be opened at last."

Katara covered her mouth with her hands in excited realization as Melisande nodded to her. The two of them were overjoyed at the prospect of finally going home that they threw their arms around each other in a warm embrace.

"Ok," said another voice, "what am I missing?"

The two thrilled females turned to see a perplexed Zuko watching them with amusement. They explained the situation to him and he was soon sharing in their joy.

"So how exactly do we achieve this 'harmony among the elements'?" Zuko asked, after recovering from the celebratory mood.

To answer him, Melisande spread the scroll out to show them, and as they looked, the realized that the scroll contained three sets of illustrations of unique bending techniques. The uppermost part of the scroll showed the motions to be performed by both Melisande and Ursa simultaneously from opposite sides of the portal. The other two sets were waterbending and firebending techniques to be performed in conjunction with each other, to form a harmonious pair of elements at the end. This was what Zuko and Katara were to do.

Melisande explained that a scroll of a similar nature had been given to Aang and Toph by Ursa, who was the same person who gave the scroll for Sicca to deliver to them. No one questioned how Ursa had come upon the scroll, they simply knew that escape was not really within their control and that it would be best to simply trust in whatever came.

Zuko became a little uneasy when his saw his aunt frowning at the intricacy of the motions she had to perform. If a firebending master of her status was challenged by such a technique, then how much more would he have difficulty with it. He watched as she read the tiny instructions at the bottom of the scroll and he noticed that her eyes narrowed.

Katara borrowed the scroll and looked carefully at the illustrations. She showed them to Zuko and his brow furrowed as he tried to visualize performing those motions.

"This is probably the most complicated technique I've ever seen," Katara said, observing the scroll, "not only are the movements very difficult to execute, the whole thing has to be done simultaneously with the firebender, as well." She turned nervously to Zuko, who was anxiously reading the scroll. The prospect of practicing such a technique with him alone was both thrilling and nerve-wracking.

"I've never seen anything like it," he said, "it's not that I don't like a challenge, but how much time do we have to learn all of this?"

Zuko and Katara looked at Melisande and she sighed. They braced themselves for a difficult answer.

"That's the problem," Melisande replied with some annoyance, "we can have as much time as we want. But for as long as we don't master these moves, the portal will not appear before us."

--

Three months passed and Melisande had already mastered her movements. The ship continued being moved by the water so the full attention of its passengers was on their bending. Since she had completed her task first, Melisande busied herself with practicing and trying as much as she can to help the other two learn their moves.

Zuko and Katara had worked relentlessly on learning their assigned techniques ever since they learned that their imminent return home was dependent on how fast they mastered the forms. However, much to their mutual frustration, they never seemed to completely master the entire set, no matter how long they practiced or how hard they tried.

They were both excellent benders at their own elements that it seemed most unlikely that they weren't able to execute the moves properly. But as the situation was, they couldn't. Something always went wrong during the practices. The flames wouldn't ignite at the right moment, the water streams would fall, someone would be in the wrong stance, or the timing would be off. Something, no matter how insignificant, always went wrong.

They were so focused on practicing the moves that they set aside the tension and uneasy feelings they had towards each other. This suppression, unbeknownst to them, was not a very wise decision and the more they tried to cover up their emotions, the more these emotions struggled to be free, and were manifested in quite the wrong way.

Zuko and Katara fell to arguing constantly and blaming the other for every little mistake. They lapsed back into the hostility which characterized the beginning of their acquaintance and almost seemed that they were enemies again. Weighed down with the burden of knowing that every little mistake they made was delaying them from going home, they took comfort in occasional duels only to ease their own frustrations. The difference this time was they would always feel terrible afterwards and they would always apologize to one another before they began training again.

They bickered and yelled and screamed and bended at each other when they weren't busy failing to master the escape movements. Melisande watched them and always shook their head but no matter how many fights she intervened in, they never seemed to have improved. The more they practiced, and the more they failed, the more dejected they became.

One evening, after a particularly heated confrontation, Melisande decided to be painfully blunt with them, if only to end the tedious charade. For some reason, the ending position of the sequence had resulted in a powerful explosion and both benders were now exhausted and infuriated, lashing out at each other about the mess.

"Argh!" Zuko cried in exasperation as he slowly raised his bruised body from where the blast had sent him flying. He rubbed his aching back and winced at the pain of sores all over him.

From the other end of the deck, Katara was groaning with pain as she recovered from the explosion. Neither of them knew who or what had caused the blast but both of them blamed themselves but they would say that they blamed the other. It was all a matter of displacement of their hurt feelings.

Katara began, "I think you're supposed to control your element and not let it go haywire like that."

Zuko frowned at this but it was not unexpected. He had a ready answer.

"Well, you forgot to shift your weight through the stances," he replied.

"Stop being so defensive," Katara retorted, "how can we ever master these moves if you'll always be so impatient."

"Maybe it's because I want to get home as soon as possible!"

"Don't you think I want the same thing? But we're never going to get home if we keep up with this failure."

"Why is this my fault again?"

"Because you're the one with the highly explosive element."

"And just because water doesn't explode, YOU don't make any mistakes."

"I'm just trying to finally get this right."

"Well, so am I."

"Oh, really? Then why aren't you able to keep up?"

"Don't accuse me of being slow. I'm following the proper pacing of the moves."

"Well, your bad timing is what keeps getting us into trouble."

"Were you this overbearing to your waterbending master or am I just lucky?"

"Look who's talking. I don't think you were your Uncle Iroh's favorite student."

Katara sidestepped a small fireball. She shook her head scornfully and clicked her tongue.

"You see," she said, readying her water whip, "that's the attitude that got us into this mess in the first place!"

Zuko got into a fighting stance and raised his arms in defense.

"That's ENOUGH!"

Just when both benders dealt the first blow, a large flame engulfed the water whip and fireball and Melisande appeared in their midst, looking very cross.

"I am getting sick and tired of your stupid games," the lady firebender said, in an imposing tone, causing the two younger benders to bow their heads in shame. Melisande's anger had not abated and she looked at them seriously.

"The key to the portal is about creating HARMONY among the elements," she reiterated, "not DISCORD. Your constant bickering will not help you master the technique. You're performing the moves like two separate units when you're supposed to be moving like two halves of the same whole. Zuko, you of all people should know this well, since you handle dual broadswords."

Both Zuko and Katara muttered tired but sincere apologies. The blaze in Melisande's golden eyes died down and she looked at them more sympathetically.

"Don't think that I don't understand your dilemma," she began more gently, "I do. I've seen both of you work so hard to learn and perfect the moves and I want you to succeed more than you'll ever know. I've seen you practice and I am certain that both of you have already mastered the moves and the timing more than anyone could ever hope for. But there's still something missing in your performance. Otherwise, the portal would have appeared by now. But it hasn't."

"I don't understand," Katara cried dejectedly, "what have we been doing wrong?"

"We've been practicing for three months and still the portal hasn't appeared," Zuko added, "all this frustration is driving us to hurt each other and that's only making things much worse."

Melisande sighed with exasperation and took a deep breath, willing herself to remain calm.

"You're both still in denial, aren't you?" she admonished them as gently as she could, "the problem doesn't lie in your bending abilities. You're both masters in your own right. You both have some unresolved issues. Sentimental though this may sound, the only thing keeping you from finally achieving the harmony that is necessary for us to go home is the admission of your true feelings."

"WHAT?" Zuko and Katara exclaimed incredulously.

Melisande sighed more audibly and shook her head.

"I'll state it plainly," she concluded, "the longer you hold back, the longer you suppress your feelings, the longer we will stay on this wretched boat. Now, that's enough practicing for today. Get yourselves cleaned up and go to bed."

And with this, Melisande turned around, leaving Zuko and Katara to ponder on her words before proceeding to their chambers.

--

Melisande heard the soft knock on her door. It was past midnight but the lady didn't seem alarmed by the visit. She had rather expected it.

"Come in," the lady said, not taking her eyes off the view from her window.

Katara entered slowly and carefully, closing the door behind her. Her blue eyes grew rounded as she gazed upon Melisande's serene figure, bathed completely in moonlight. The firebender looked more like an apparition than a person.

Melisande turned and beckoned to Katara to take a seat facing her and Katara did as she was told. The waterbender's head remained bowed and her hands were folded on her lap. For a few peaceful moments, both women sat together in companionable silence.

"I'm sorry," Katara blurted out suddenly, her eyes glistening with tears, "for the stupid way that I've been acting, for delaying our return for so long because of my own insecurities."

Although she had convinced herself that she wouldn't do so, the waterbender burst into tears and covered her mouth, suppressing the sobs that threatened to come. Melisande smiled sadly at her and wrapped her arms around the shaking girl, stroking Katara's back and whispering words of reassurance to her.

"I'm so sorry," Katara said, "I'm acting like a child again."

"We all have those moments," Melisande consoled the girl, "and to be honest, we all need those moments of vulnerability to realize our own strengths."

"Thank you," Katara replied, regaining some of her composure. She returned Melisande's earnest gaze.

"I've been thinking a lot about what you said," Katara explained while Melisande listened intently, "and on one hand I know you're right, of course, but on the other, I still don't know how I'm supposed to handle the situation."

Suppressing the urge to roll her eyes, Melisande encouraged Katara to continue. After some hesitation, the waterbender proceeded.

"I don't know why," Katara went on, "but I've been really uncomfortable around Zuko lately. It was all very well during the storm when our lives were in constant danger and we were always fighting sea monsters and the like, but now, ironically, when everything has become so peaceful, I, I just feel so uneasy around him."

"Without the constant threat on your life, it become a little harder to be honest," Melisande thought to herself but she allowed the waterbender to continue.

"It's just absurd," Katara said, "I mean, I know that we're clearly no longer enemies. He's going to help Aang restore balance to the world. And considering everything we've been through together, on the island, out on the sea, I know that I can say that we've become friends.

And yet, there's still this lingering uncertainty in me. For the first time in my life, I'm confused about my own feelings."

Katara put her hand against her forehead and stood up and paced the room, gesturing with her hands as she talked. Melisande took everything in her characteristic serenity.

"We've been together in this journey for months now. I feel that despite the length of this sojourn, I've rather enjoyed it because I've met you and learned so much from you. And because I've seen another side of Zuko that I never would have seen before. I've seen his true self, all his doubts and fears, his innate goodness, generosity, and kindness. Why, I've even stepped inside all of his most intimate memories. I've come to learn so much about him, to experience so much with him, for so long, that I feel like I've been here with him and with you far longer than I've been with Toph, or even Aang."

Katara paused and raised her hands in incredulity.

"But that's impossible, isn't it? I mean, I know it's been months since we first arrived here from Ba Sing Se. The moon has had her cycle several times already, except for when we were out on sea, and yet I felt the time pass. We seem to have been trapped here for so long, and yet when Zuko and I spoke with our friends and family during the eye of the storm, it had seemed that only a few weeks had passed. I mean, that's just ridiculous."

"You should know by now," Melisande interrupted, causing Katara to look at her, "that impossible is something that this place constantly defies. I'm glad that you noticed that time passes differently here than back in our world. When we return, it will only be as if we've been gone for about two months when we seem to have been living here for six or seven. I do not know the explanation but I know that time passes more slowly out there than it does here. But that doesn't make your experiences here illusionary or obsolete. Let's just say that, ironically, when you are banished here, you get more value out of your time."

Having heard this, Katara fell silent, trying to take it all in, the knowledge that she had, in fact, been with Zuko and Melisande just as long as she had been with Aang. As she pondered the idea, Katara realized something.

"If time passes more slowly here," Katara said with wide eyes turned to Melisande, "then those eight years that you were banished must have passed like an eternity for you."

Melisande closed her eyes and nodded gently. Katara at once felt so much sympathy for this woman who had been so very kind to her and it was beyond the waterbender's imagination to know of what suffering and misery Melisande had had to endure all alone.

"I am grateful for your consideration," Melisande said, "but that is all behind me now and I am rather eager to return home. I have been given a chance of freedom denied to everyone else banished here. But don't stray from the subject. I believe you were talking about your relationship with my nephew."

"Relationship?" Katara repeated, turning bright crimson, "I mean, yes, I believe we've developed a close friendship over the length of our acquaintance here. We're different in so many ways, and yet in others, we're just, we're just so similar."

Again, Melisande was trying not to roll her eyes as she listened.

"And," Katara went on, "I now feel as concerned for his welfare as I do for Aang, or Sokka, or Toph. But something still feels different and as I can't figure it out, the uncertainty must show in my interactions with him. I'm sure he must have sensed it, that's why he's become more distant. And that's what hurts me most, for some reason. I'm angry at myself for hindering our return, my feelings are just in so much tumult with regard to Zuko, and, and I just, I..."

"You're in love with him and you know it," Melisande stated plainly, unable to restrain herself any longer.

She loved Katara as a daughter but the girl's emotional turmoil was becoming more than the lady could bear. She had known the answer to their dilemma ages ago but she knew that it was not her place to interfere. But now, Zuko and Katara's hesitation had tried her patience.

Katara's eyes had grown very wide, both with shock and with realization. She stopped pacing the room but instead sunk into a chair, her hands covering her mouth and staring wide-eyed at the wall.

Understanding the situation, Melisande waited more patiently for Katara to recover. The waterbender put down her hands and bowed her head. Once she raised it again, her face was streaked with tears and she seemed to be on the verge of crying and laughing.

"I've been such a fool," Katara said more confidently than she had ever been during the entire conversation

"We are all fools in love," Melisande said quietly.

"I love him," Katara repeated hesitantly, then, "I love him. I love Zuko," she said with more conviction.

"Finally," Melisande muttered to herself, finally allowing herself to roll her eyes.

"That's what has been holding me back all this time," Katara said, "I've been so silly, so stupid, and so doubtful."

Katara began to laugh heartily, although joyful tears were still streaming down her face. She felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Melisande took her hand and shook it vigorously, congratulating the girl for finally admitting her own feelings.

After a few blissful moments of realization and clarity, Katara felt a pang of doubt.

"But, what about Zuko," she said suddenly, fear in her eyes, "what if, what if he..." She could not bring herself to say it but Melisande was quick to solve the problem.

"The only way to find out," Melisande interrupted gently, hoping to prevent another bout of hesitation and doubt, "is to ask him yourself. Don't be afraid. I have a good feeling that the results of such an endeavor will not be too disappointing."

"Thank you," Katara whispered as she squeezed Melisande's hand gratefully. Then, the girl eagerly left the room. Melisande watched as Katara disappeared behind the door and the lady sighed with relief and smiled with contentment.

--

Zuko had sensed her arrival on the upper deck and paused in his bending practice. He turned to see a shaken Katara standing nervously before him. Once again, he felt that strange uneasiness at their being alone together. It didn't help that it was past midnight under a full moon.

"I couldn't sleep," he said quickly, trying to make conversation.

"Nor I," she replied quietly, not looking up at him.

They stood their silently for a few moments. Katara opened her mouth to speak but Zuko spoke first.

"Listen," he said, in a gentle tone, "I've been thinking a lot about what Aunt Melisande said."

Katara gasped softly but listened as he continued. He waited for a reply and hearing none, he took her silence as encouragement.

"She's right, as usual," Zuko remarked, "so I'm going to try my best to work this out. I mean, if that's fine with you, of course." He looked expectantly at Katara who nodded her head although it was still bowed. The firebender took a deep breath, bracing himself.

"We've been through a lot ever since we came here," he began, "and I've learned a lot about myself, and about you, as well. You've shown me so much kindness and understanding despite my beastly behavior to you in the past. You've treated me like a friend, even though I didn't deserve it. You've helped me in more ways than you know and I know that nothing I can ever do will suffice to repay you for all the kindnesses you've shown me."

"Remember that you've saved my life a lot as well," Katara muttered, wringing her hands.

"But all of my actions to protect you are nothing in comparison to how much you have saved me from complete and utter ruin. I owe you so much, Katara, and for the past months, I've been acting like a complete ingrate. So I apologize for everything."

"You don't have to," she whispered back, "we were both at fault."

"But it was me more than anyone who was hindering our return home," Zuko argued, "me, with all my doubts, and uncertainties, when everything had already been explained multiple times. I knew exactly what to do but I was reluctant to do it because of my stupid fears, my stupid, crazy anxieties. And because of my indecisiveness, we all have to suffer.

Well, for all our sakes, I'm not going to hold back any more. I don't know how you're going to take this and deep inside me, I'm wishing that you're going to take it well, but I really have no control over that so I'm just going to take this chance."

The firebender paused, becoming more and more nervous and uncertain with every passing moment. Katara said nothing and gave no sign of either encouragement or discouragement. She just kept on bowing her head and wringing her shaking hands. Zuko was becoming very jittery, making wild hand gestures as he talked and trying to be as comprehensible and coherent as possible, a task that had become increasingly difficult.

"Now that I think about it," he said to himself, "singing to the sirens was never this hard."

Again, he collected his thoughts, or a least, tried to, and then he took a deep breath before continuing.

"No one," Zuko began, "has ever shown me as much kindness and concern as you have. Knowing my family, I'm sure you're aware that only my mother, Uncle Iroh, and Aunt Melisande have been acting as family should but you, someone wholly unconnected to me by blood or race, have seen me for what I am and accepted me.

I can't explain why but all I know is that when I'm with you, I feel completely at peace. And that's something considering my fiery temper and impulsiveness but what I mean is, when I stand before you like this, I don't have to be someone I'm not. You don't expect anything of me, you don't suspect anything of me, anymore, and you're always just there. I've never had any real friends in my life, but now I'm certain, that no matter how many friends I may have, it will always be your friendship that I value the most."

Katara winced at the word "friendship" but continued in her shaky silence. Zuko paused, wondering what he may have said wrong, and then, he waited in suspense for Katara's reaction. But hearing nothing from her, he knew that he had still not driven his point through. He groaned inwardly. This was just maddeningly difficult.

"I'm sorry," Zuko said uncertainly, "I'm not expressing myself very well."

"No," Katara interrupted suddenly with the slightest hint of bitterness in her voice, "I think you've made your point quite clearly."

"No," Zuko countered, "I'm not finished yet. I'm sorry if this whole thing is boring you, I've never really done this before, so maybe I need practice. But the point is, well, you've had a profound effect on me, no, that isn't exactly it, I mean you have, but, anyway, ugh, this is maddening." Zuko clutched his forehead from the exertion.

Katara now dared to look up at him while he looked around, as if searching for the right words. He was so distracted by his verbal dilemma that he didn't notice her walking towards him slowly.

"Ummm...you have not known me that long, and not known me as a friend for even shorter than that and I do not dare to presume that I have any claim on your affections, but despite that, I think you deserve to know mine, and that, the truth is, I mean, all I want to say is..."

"I love you," Katara blurted out suddenly, finally mustering the courage to look at his face.

"Yes, exactly!" he cried gratefully, and then, realizing what had just happened, he turned to look at Katara and said, "WHAT?" Finding it too much to have to repeat herself, Katara simply nodded back at him.

And for a few moments, they stood before each other, no longer in suspenseful silence but in the stillness of blissful certainty.

Zuko took a few steps closer to Katara and gently took one of her hands in his. She squeezed his hand warmly and smiled up at him, her face streaked with happy tears. He raised a shaky hand to wipe those tears away although his eyes were glistening as well but he was smiling back at her.

Then, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. At first taken aback by the suddenness of the gesture, he then put his arms around her back and returned the embrace.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered to her, "that you had to hear such a long, roundabout, and crazy explanation. I'm not good at this sort of thing."

"There's nothing to forgive," she whispered back, "I'm sorry that I hesitated for so long."

"I think we both held back for too long," he replied, "but now, things could not be better."

He tightened his hold on her and they stood there together, free of all inhibitions and uncertainties, completely and utterly happy.

Watching them with the spyglass, Melisande grinned. Flying beside her, Sicca gave a short hiss.

"I completely agree," Melisande replied to the messenger, "that confession was long overdue."

--

At daybreak, Melisande stood on one side of the deck, preparing to perform her series of movements. Although she constantly practiced her techniques, she somehow knew that today would be especially productive for all of them.

Without seeing the other two, Melisande knew that Zuko and Katara were getting into their starting position. None of them had gotten any sleep that night and yet they all felt quite refreshed and invigorated.

Melisande took a deep breath and then, with focus, discipline, and grace, she performed her dance.

On the other side of the deck, Zuko and Katara, at last freed from all their doubts and fears, performed the dance of harmony. This time, nothing went awry.

Every choreographed movement, practiced to perfection, was fluid and graceful. The timing was impeccable. Fire and water succumbed to the masters' command, controlled with accuracy and precision and appearing in just the right amounts. The two benders finally found the right rhythm, moving not just simultaneously, but complementing each other, like two halves of the same whole.

Melisande tossed her flames. Katara streamed the water. Zuko coaxed the fire. The three master benders, great voyagers approaching the end of their trials, banished all other thoughts and emotions from their minds and hearts and focused on the what the dance required - wild abandon and the complete harmony of the elements.

At last, they performed their final movement, reaching the last position panting from the intensity of their exertion.

And right before the ship, a thin sheet of rain fell but only in front of the ship. The drops of water descended and formed a gleaming, whirlpool of air and light right before their very eyes.

The portal had finally appeared.


	25. Chapter 25

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar. That is that.

AN: The final chapter at last. Please read after the credits (haha), I mean the last words, for my thank you message.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Shouts of joy filled the air as the portal materialized, a shimmering distortion of air and space, the doorway to the home they had been pining to return to for so long.

Katara was grinning from ear to ear, unable to suppress the tears of joy that were flowing down her cheeks. Zuko smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. She turned to him with a look in her eyes of absolute contentment and joy. Once again, she threw her arms around him and they embraced each other tightly, full of the triumphant moment, the glory of hope and home after so many months of toils and struggles.

They held each other close, glad to finally be at the threshold of their destinies, and even gladder that they at last achieved that clarity of emotions that had eluded them during the turbulent period of their training. And the happiness that filled them both was only reinforced by each other's presence, the warmth of the embrace of one person dearest to you. Every moment wasted in hesitation, doubt, and uncertainty was now excessively compensated by their refusal to break apart. Everything up to now had been so difficult for them, and yet, now, the moment they immersed themselves in was something wrought of pure sweet, glorious, delirious joy.

On another part of the boat, Melisande stood transfixed, her eyes wide, and an expression of complete shock on her usually knowing face. For a few moments she was unable to react to the presence of the barrier, trying to take it all in, and hoping that it was all not another insane vision or hope-inducing dream. When she had ascertained that the portal was indeed before her, and the moment she had been waiting for for what seemed so much longer than eight years had finally arrived, she raised her hands to her mouth and choked back a sob.

Hot tears of joy began flowing down her pale cheeks, and she was shaking with utter happiness. From his perch on a railing near Melisande, Sicca turned his small, scaly head towards his mistress and hissed slightly.

The lady exile hastily wiped her tears away and laughed more heartily than she had ever laughed in her entire life. Looking as curiously as a serpent can possibly glance at a human, Sicca hissed at Melisande again.

"I've been dreaming of this moment for so long," Melisande said, between her soft sobs, "visualizing every detail, imagining this very scene unfold, preparing myself to face it with complete assurance and serenity, just like Ursa. And yet, nothing has turned out the way I imagined it, everything's better."

She smiled weakly, remembering her late night conversation with Katara and the confession she witnessed through the spyglass. In the end, for all her planning and preparing, nothing turned out as expected. The former duchess wiped her tear-streaked face, feeling rather pathetic by her own standards.

"And I promised myself that I wouldn't cry."

--

A proud smile lit up Melisande's face as she watched Zuko and Katara hugging each other tightly. There was such a sense of perfection in the scene that she felt most reluctant to interrupt it. So she didn't, and instead watched and waited for them to notice her presence.

Seeing those two finally at ease with one another and with their powerful feelings, Melisande realized that what Zuko and Katara shared was something greater than she had ever imagined it to be. It wasn't any ordinary love, built on flighty impressions, transient attractions, and momentary surges of passion. Theirs was something based on something far deeper, far more profound, and far more beautiful.

The politician side of Melisande couldn't help but mention that this union would be quite a beneficial one for both races, a significant alliance between key figures of the Fire Nation and the Water Tribe. Without even having set foot again on the Four Nations, Zuko and Katara were already unconsciously taking decisive steps to rebuild the world ripped apart by the century-long war.

Melisande shook her head. This was not an economic agreement or an arranged marriage as was the custom during her time; this was a genuine alliance of love.

She also marveled at how Zuko and Katara's association had progressed from being bitter enemies, on extreme opposite sides of the war, to two people so deeply in love. All this had been facilitated by complete honesty to one's self, and complete release from the pressures imposed by exterior forces

And although she was loathe to admit it, Melisande could not deny, that deep inside her heart, she felt the slightest stirrings of a pang of envy. What she saw before her had been cruelly denied to her, and even to her most beloved sister. Neither of them had enjoyed a love as precious as this. All the relationships in their lives had been tainted with politics, greed, ambition, and the manipulation of people lusting for power.

"In my case," Melisande thought to herself, "I suppose, it's all really my fault. It was my ambition and arrogance that led to my eventual ruin. It was my mistaken pride in my abilities and my overconfidence that got me in this whole banishment mess in the first place."

On the other hand, she believed that Ursa was completely free of any blame whatsoever. All of Ursa's actions had been out of her own, beautifully selfless nature. And yet, life had been unkind to her sister, as well. Melisande sighed.

But looking at Zuko and Katara now, two young individuals who had endured their fair share of struggles and trials, Melisande finally realized what Ursa had probably known for far longer. All paths they had taken had led to this road, all pains, hardships, and sufferings were not in vain. The Avatar's return after a hundred years was already the most important step to the improvement of the future. And his own journey, and all the people he had affected along the way including Zuko and Katara, was paving the road to peace.

He must be more impressive than I imagined him to be, Melisande thought of the Avatar. And she believed that she would be much honored indeed to finally meet him.

After all, Melisande thought as she looked at Zuko and Katara, he may not know it, but the Avatar was partly responsible for bringing those two together.

--

Much to their credit, Zuko and Katara were not one of those couples who were so constantly absorbed in themselves that they were completely oblivious to everyone and everything else. They were both just too selfless and too generous of spirit to act so insensitively.

Even in the midst of their joy, they remembered that there was one other person on that ship who had been desiring this homecoming for far longer and far more than they could even imagine.

"Aunt Melisande?" they both said simultaneously, as if reading each other's minds. They released each other and turned to look for her.

Just then, they both saw Sicca soar swiftly into the air, his feathery wings moving so fast that they were a blur. They all watched as the serpent rose and flew straight into the barrier, and then through it, causing ripples of light to move across the shining portal before the distortions settled once more.

"Maybe we should follow his lead," Katara said, gazing after the winged serpent.

"Not yet," Melisande said, finally seeing her cue to enter the scene. She walked towards the surprised couple. "He's just flying ahead to tell my sister that we are ready. When Sicca returns and gives the signal, which will come very, very soon, all of us must prepare to do the key bending sequence one last time, to fully open the portal for us to enter."

Katara ran forward to hug the older lady and Melisande, taken aback by such a gesture, widened her eyes. And then, she smiled and returned the embrace.

"We're finally going home," Katara whispered, "you're going to be free."

Zuko walked towards Melisande and Katara, smiling at his aunt.

"Eight years," Zuko told his aunt, "you've been waiting for this moment for so long."

"More than you know," Melisande answered, "and none of this would have been possible without your help. Please believe me when I say that I am truly grateful for everything you've done for me."

"On the contrary," Zuko replied, moved by his aunt's uncharacteristic emotion, "it is you who have imparted so many lessons to us, who have helped us, survive through some of the worst trials we've ever faced."

"We owe you our lives," Katara said sincerely, "and I believe, our current happiness is your doing."

Melisande raised her hands in defense and shook her head with a bright smile.

"You owe me nothing," she replied, "I merely shared my knowledge with you, because such knowledge, when kept to one's self can be quite a burden. And as for the happiness which I am now marveling at, you owe it to your own hearts more than to any of my prodding and meddling. Seeing you now makes me very glad indeed. I am truly happy for both of you."

She gave Katara another hug and pulled Zuko into it as well. And although they were all minutes away from finally returning to the home they loved, they were also savoring the last moments they would have together in complete solitude and intimacy. Because when they went back, many things would have to change and some memories would have to be set aside for the more important tasks at hand.

Melisande hugged Zuko and Katara tightly and affectionately, so glad to have spent the hardest part of her exile with two people who had become so dear to her. They didn't know yet that despite her seeming invulnerability, it was their presence that comforted and helped her most of all drive away the sorrow of her exile. But although happiness and completion awaited them beyond the barrier, she still had some hard roads to travel on before she would arrive at the same point of bliss.

"You're both finally going to be together with everyone you love," she whispered to them.

The two younger benders were surprised by the sudden seriousness of her tone. Katara broke slightly away from the embrace and looked curiously at Melisande.

"You must mean 'we' are finally going to be reunited with those we love," Katara told Melisande, although there was a hint of doubt in her voice. Zuko looked suspiciously at his aunt's expression but once again, Melisande's face did not betray her feelings.

"You are coming with us, aren't you?" he asked with hesitation, almost afraid of hearing the answer.

"Of course," Melisande replied after a moment's pause, "I don't want to stay here any more than you do."

But something in her manner made Zuko suspect that his aunt, as was her habit, was not telling the complete truth.

--

The two firebenders and the waterbender stood at their starting positions, waiting eagerly and anxiously for the signal to arrive. They were determined not to waste a moment in reacting to Sicca's arrival and they wanted the portal opened as soon as it was possible. They had waited for this for far too long.

All eyes were narrowed focused on the glimmering portal. After several moments, ripples of light spread through the barrier and every muscle in their bodies tensed.

Melisande raised her hand to stop them from starting.

"We have to wait until Sicca emerges completely," she instructed. Zuko and Katara turned to her and nodded.

Little by little, the slender serpent's body was appearing from beyond the gate. And in a few minutes, Sicca emerged completely and soared into the air, emitting a melodious note unlike any sound that they had ever heard.

Without any explanation, they all knew at once that this was the signal they had been waiting for, so they began their movements.

Zuko and Katara had already mastered their dance and they knew well enough to focus on complete and utter harmony with each other and each other's elements. Following their training, they blocked every other thought from their minds, even those of home. They needed to keep their attention on every movement. More than ever, they could not afford any mistakes now.

From her side of the deck, Melisande was performing her techniques with her usual grace and yet with all the energy that she could muster. In her mind's eye, she could see her twin sister Ursa mirroring her movements and she tried as hard as she could to do everything in complete conjunction with her sister. The incomprehensible connection they both shared was getting stronger and stronger as time passed and she knew that she would have to keep striving towards achieving complete harmony with her sister who was bending somewhere beyond the barrier of their worlds. They were two halves of the same whole, today destined to be reunited.

Somewhere on the other side of the barrier, three other benders were hard at work. On one side there was Ursa, her eyes closed in complete concentration as she kept the connection with her sister as strong as she could. She performed the movements of the dance with the same grace and power as Melisande because their connection allowed her to share in some of her sister's firebending prowess while her sister was also able to sometimes share in Ursa's gift of foresight. They moved and flowed together as one, fortifying the connection and slowly opening the barrier.

On one hand, Sokka and Iroh were watching in awe at the amazing display of airbending and earthbending Aang and Toph were performing. The two benders exhibited their extreme knowledge of their elements and worked very well in conjunction with one another. Unlike the other two benders who were currently doing the movements on the other side of the barrier, Aang and Toph did not have the same difficulties and roadblocks. These two did not have the same emotional turmoil as their friends and they had already worked out their differences in character when Toph had first taught Aang earthbending. As a result, it had not been particularly difficult for them to master the motions of the barrier-opening sequence.

However, it had taken some time for them both to learn her parts because of her blindness. Her condition, of course, did not hinder her earthbending in any way but it didn't help that the instructions were on a scroll. Strangely enough, when Ursa presented the instructions to them, the movements for the earthbender had been on a separate sheet. In fact, Toph's part had not been on paper of any kind. Instead, the forms had been etched on a thin slate tablet.

When Sokka and the others had questioned Ursa about this circumstance, she had simply shaken her head. There were many complex explanations involved, she had said, and they simply did have the luxury of time for these explanations. Toph had not minded and got to feeling the etchings of the tablet and practicing her bending as soon as possible.

And although this seems rather hard to believe, it was also quite challenging for the Avatar to learn the airbending moves. To his complete surprise, when he saw the scroll, he saw very unfamiliar airbending techniques that even the greatest airbender of his time, Monk Gyatso, had not been able to show him. So even the airbending prodigy had to struggle slightly to be able to learn the moves. Being open to new experiences, he warmly welcomed the challenge, especially since it meant that he would be able to bring Katara back home.

But the difficulties both Aang and Toph encountered were mostly technical and physical and therefore easily breached. And now, they were executing every move masterfully and almost effortlessly, and unbeknownst to them, every move they were performing was in perfect harmony with the moves of Zuko and Katara from beyond the barrier.

"I've seen Aang and Toph train with each other before," Sokka commented to Iroh as he watched the two benders in action, "and I thought I'd seen it all and that I wouldn't be impressed by anything else they showed me. Apparently, I was wrong."

"You must remember," Iroh told him, the old man's eyes still on his sister-in-law, the Avatar, and the charming blind earthbender, "that life constantly applies the element of surprise."

With a deep breath, both Melisande and Ursa moved their arms in a complicated and intricate set that was a combination of hand movements, fire manipulation, and traditional dance. Their footwork followed fluidly and gracefully. Finally, they made one emphatic stamp on the ground, establishing a firm stance, and they extended their right arms, fire shooting from their fingers in slender, straight streams that went straight through the barrier.

At the same time, Zuko and Katara executed the last section of their set and simultaneously reaching the final form, they extend their arms quickly and fluidly, a stream of water following Katara's arm and jets of flame following Zuko's. From the other side of the barrier, Aang and Toph had reached the same position and earth and air were following parallel paths into the barrier.

All four elements penetrated the shimmering gateway, causing numerous circular ripples of light to spread simultaneously across the surface of the portal. The topmost link was that of the unique flames that linked the twin sisters Ursa and Melisande. And with this fiery link of two halves, the portal slowly began to open.

Little by little, Zuko and Katara felt the ship move forward, towards the portal. Still in their stances, they looked at each other with wide and excited eyes. But they did not change position, and maintained the flow of their elements which were somehow penetrating the shield of the barrier. They knew that they had to maintain the link through the elements no matter what may happened. They didn't even dare glance at Melisande whose brow was knotted in extreme concentration as she summoned all her powers to strengthen the connection between her and Ursa.

From where they were on the other side of the portal, Sokka and Iroh noticed the disturbances along the surface of the barrier and noticed that something seemed to be coming towards them. The rendez-vous point where they all stood at the moment was once again on the shores of Lake Laogai and from beyond the barrier, a large, looming shadow seemed to be approaching them.

"What is that thing?" Sokka asked, looking curiously at the shadow. Iroh narrowed his eyes and tried to make out the figure.

"It looks like a ship of some kind," the old man observed to his companion.

Slowly but surely, the house ship built by Ta Zho was becoming clearer and more visible as it moved towards the shore. And soon, the front part of the vessel had penetrated the shield and not long after, the rest of the ship followed.

By then, Aang's eyes widened at the sight but he did not break the link. Toph, who could not feel the coming of the ship, was not distracted for a moment. Ursa's brow was lined with sweat as she continued concentrating on maintaining the link.

Soon, the harmonious links between the four elements became visible, Katara's water connecting with Aang's air while Zuko's fire was connected to Toph's earth. The benders were also able to see the thick fiery cord that was the link of the twin sisters.

And then, it was over. The entire ship had passed through the barrier and the glimmering distortion of light, and space began to disintegrate until it dissolved into the sky and vanished completely.

It was now possible for the elemental links to be broken and all six benders released their elements slowly before collapsing to the ground from exhaustion. But their succumbing to fatigue was only momentary because they were all too excited and they did not want to waste a single moment on their physical limitations.

Zuko and Katara quickly ran to the edge of the deck, waving and shouting excitedly to their friends on the shore. They recognized the place where they had emerged as the shore of Lake Laogai, where Katara had descended to a hidden city, and where Zuko had dropped his Blue Spirit mask and his secret identity forever.

Aang, Sokka, and Iroh wore wide grins and yelled and waved back. The airbender and the Water Tribe Warrior even began to wade along the water in their eagerness to see Katara again. Toph pouted, still not able to feel Katara's presence on the ground and patiently waited on shore for the waterbender to come.

"See, little sister!" Sokka yelled at Katara, "I'm wading through the worst of Earth Kingdom lake muck just to see you!"

"I missed you too, Sokka!" Katara shouted back with a laugh, "but you should wait until we get on shore."

That event didn't take too long as the ship floated quickly on the shore, and Zuko dropped the anchor (which he had only recently discovered). He and Katara ran quickly to the lower level of the house and opened what had once been the front door which now led them straight to the shore.

Katara had hardly set foot on the sandy beach when she was overwhelmed by arms coming around her from both Sokka and Aang. She laughed and returned the hug and listened to the simultaneous talking of her dear friend and favorite brother. Somewhere on the shore Toph had finally sensed Katara's presence and consequently earthbended the two boys out of the way as the blind girl ran to hug Katara by herself.

Zuko had just emerged from the ship when he was engulfed in a warm embrace by Uncle Iroh, so strong that it temporarily knocked the wind out of him. After he recovered his breath, he smiled and returned the hug, which only became tighter than ever.

The last one to emerge from the ship was a shaken and stunned Melisande who, when she at last set foot on land, looked around her as if in a trance. She had been to Ba Sing Se, and Lake Laogai, before and it really hadn't changed in eight years, but just the realization of eight years of dreaming and hoping seemed too much to bear. Happiness was choking her.

And then, she felt familiar arms wrap around her and she turned to enthusiastically return the embrace of her twin sister, two halves finally restored to each other, a living whole.

What followed can only be described as a flood of joyful tears.

Joyful tears streamed down every face of the people present on that lake's shore as they embraced the people they loved and had missed for so long. Tears readily flowed down the faces of the exiles who had worked so hard to be able to come back home, to all the people they had held dear.

Not even Sokka had the time to crack any jokes, so busy was he in welcoming his beloved little sister and making sure that she was safe. Everyone ignored their muscles groaning and the toll the stress of the past few months had taken on them, so full were they of the absolute ecstasy of the reunion.

Laughter filled the air and the lively conversation of people who knew each other well. Katara was bombarded with questions about her stay on the island and even about her unexpected arrival on a strange looking ship, all questions she could not answer in a short while.

Uncle Iroh inquired about Zuko as well and the younger firebender found that he rather missed his elderly uncle's loquaciousness although it became a little tedious to relate all the details of his sojourn.

He found a way to somehow throw a sideward glance at Katara who was glancing at him as well and they smiled to each other in complicity. The stories they would have to tell to their friends and family might take days to relate and yet there was so much they had to tell.

On one side of the shore, the two sisters shared a tearful and bittersweet reunion, and they refused to let each other go. Despite their mysterious and unique connection to each other which kept communications between them for the past eight years, neither Ursa nor Melisande had any physical contact with her sister for that duration and the concreteness of their presence was a great comfort to each of the firebending sisters. Unlike Zuko and Katara, Melisande and Ursa did not need to ask each other questions about what the other went through during her banishment, and therefore, their reunion was a bit of a time-saver. But it was not less emotional than the others.

Melisande apologized profusely to her sister for a million little faults she had against Ursa which the latter quickly forgave and even shrugged off. They had long since reconciled over certain traumatic issues in the past but Melisande had not stopped feeling guilty about her actions during her exile and seeing her sister once again had reawakened all her remorse and guilt. Ursa smiled gently at her sister and comforted her.

Melisande recollected herself and asked after her sister's health and happiness. Ursa replied that she was quite well and now that the family was complete again, and that things were well under way for the ending of the century long war and the restoration of peace to the land, nothing could possibly be better.

"You may find," Melisande told Ursa with a knowing look, "that our family now has some lovely additions."

Ursa smiled back at her sister, understanding the implication and together the twins glanced at both Zuko and Katara, who were still being interrogated by their friends and family.

"She is an excellent match for him, I daresay," Melisande commented, "so similar and yet so different at the same time. I am sure you already like her though you have known less of her than I have. After all, you sent her to me and you made it possible for them to come together, you sly girl."

Ursa laughed heartily. "I confess," she said, "that despite all my other good intentions for them and for you, I had hoped, deep in my heart, that they would indeed come together. I've always wanted Zuko to have someone to truly love and somehow I had sensed that she would be the one to change him for the better."

"And I am sure," Melisande whispered, her hands on Ursa's shoulders, "that you will find more cause at present to be proud of your son. I daresay he has grown up to be a very great man indeed, and he is bound to keep growing as these significant events shall unfold. I congratulate you on such an offspring."

Ursa laughed at her sister's comment and replied, "Much of his growth in the past few months I owe to your care and teaching, dear sister. And I know that both of you benefited from the exchange."

"Me more than he did, I can assure you," Melisande replied, "although he doesn't seem to realize that he taught me some things as well. And I really do apologize for what happened during the verbal standoff after the Agni Kai."

"I've told you numerous times that all is forgiven. And I am well aware that under those circumstances, it could not be helped. You did all you could and no one could have expected you to do any more than that."

"Thank you, sister. And I despair that this reunion is to be brief."

Ursa sighed and nodded. "I know that as well. That is the burden of having this gift of foresight. I know in advance when I am to be saddened."

Melisande hugged her sister tightly once more.

"But let's not talk of parting just yet," she told Ursa, "this moment is about coming together again and it must not be spoiled, especially not by me."

The two sisters walked towards Iroh and Zuko. The old man, seeing their approach, smiled and turned to them.

"I am sorry," Iroh told Ursa, "I have been monopolizing your son. I believe that it is high time that I return him to his mother."

At this, Zuko's eyes widened and he turned slowly to face the woman he had not seen for six years. At first, mother and son stood quite still, taking the moment in, trying to convince themselves that this was no dream and that they had at last reached the reunion they had longed for for so long.

Melisande had to give her sister a gentle nudge before Ursa recovered herself and ran forward to hug her son. Zuko, more tears of joy streaming down his face, returned his mother's embrace and they stood together in wordless bliss, just savoring the moment of that sweet reunion.

Both Melisande and Iroh watched two of the dearest members of their family with tear-filled smiles.

"Although I may not know exactly how that feels, having never been a mother," Melisande whispered, "I can say that it is unspeakably beautiful."

Iroh smiled gently at her and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"You don't necessarily have to be a mother to understand some part of the depth of her love for her child," he told her in his sagely fashion, "you simply have to be able to understand love."

"As wise and profound as ever," Melisande replied on a slightly lighter tone, "I see you still haven't changed."

Iroh grinned at her. "Some things in life remain constant," he said.

By now, even the Avatar's group had turned their attention to the reunion of the Fire Prince and the Fire Lady. They were all acquainted with the details of the long separation of the mother and the son so they all understood just how great and important this moment was for the two.

Aang was teary-eyed as he watched Zuko and his mother embrace and now, more than ever was he ready to welcome Zuko as his friend. He saw that the firebender had had a very hard life and yet he still had a great heart.

"We can be friends, after all," Aang thought, remembering the incident with the Blue Spirit, and feeling glad that he had lost enemies and gained friends.

Toph, sensing the happenings with her feet, also felt somewhat happy for Zuko and his mother, although she knew him least. As was the earthbender's habit, she could sense that he was an honest and good person and would prove to be a great addition to their group.

Even Sokka had to let go of his sarcasm when he saw Zuko and Ursa. He realized that Zuko was still also a son who had lost his mother for six years and was now being reunited with her. Sokka knew what it was like to lose a mother so he felt glad for Zuko and even admitted that he may have been wrong about the firebender.

And as for Katara, she simply couldn't stop the tears of joy from flowing down her cheeks. Her smile grew wider and wider as she witnessed this reunion, especially since she was very well acquainted with all the details about it. She felt heartily happy for Zuko and she simply couldn't describe the beauty of that moment.

A hand was laid on her shoulder and she turned to see Sokka with a very heartfelt smile on his face.

"You just don't know how perfect your timing is," he told her mysteriously.

The waterbender gave a puzzled look at her brother when he stepped aside and revealed that there was another person in their party who was most eager to see her again.

Katara's blue eyes widened and she put her hands to her mouth in surprise.

"Dad!"

Hakoda smiled gently at his daughter and nodded. And in a moment Katara's arms were around her father's neck and soon even Sokka was pulled into the embrace. Hakoda had only just arrived with the rest of his men to meet Aang and others to discuss the imminent invasion. They weren't expected for another three days and so the unexpected arrival was all the more precious. The Water Tribe family reveled in their reunion and all was well.

"It seems like today is full of family reunions," Toph observed. Beside her, Aang agreed as he smiled at the two families which were being completed at that very moment. But soon, he noticed that someone was walking towards him. The Avatar turned and found out that Melisande was slowly approaching him.

Her face wore an expression of complete reverence and awe as she stood before him, although she was much taller. He looked up at her and smiled in his sincere fashion. She gazed at him earnestly for a few moments before going on her knees, and to Aang's complete shock, bowing before him.

Months before, during a quiet time on the ship, Melisande had asked Katara what the Avatar was like in person. Melisande knew enough about his abilities but she had been curious and slightly skeptical then as to whether a child, gifted though he may be, was truly destined to restore balance to a war-torn world.

Katara had thought for a few moments, choosing her words carefully before she answered. And then, the waterbender had said, "Aang is the kindest and most selfless person I know. And when you see him, despite his youth and innocence, you can't help but have faith in him."

Seeing the Avatar at last, Melisande realized just how apt a description Katara had given her. It was true that the boy still had an innocent look about him that reflected his youth and relative inexperience. But he also had the aura of all those who came before him, one of wisdom, fairness, and conviction. Seeing him thus, one would never doubt that he would indeed be the savior of the world.

Aang, of course, was very much taken aback by such a reaction, so he simply took Melisande's hand and smiled at her.

"It's an honor to meet you too, Lady Melisande," he said cheerfully, "I've heard so much about you."

"Now that we've finally met, master Avatar," Melisande told him with her usual gravity, "you can depend on my staunch support in your campaign against the Fire Lord."

This really need not have been said but Melisande felt keenly obliged to say it if only to assure the young boy that he had gained yet another ally in his fight. He thanked her profusely and told her that formalities were not necessary between friends. They shook hands warmly and both were quite pleased with one another.

Meanwhile, when everyone had somewhat recovered from their family reunions, Katara tentatively broke away from her family and ran to Zuko. He likewise let go of his mother who gave him a knowing glance before releasing him to go to Katara. Both of them knew that it was high time for them to let their families and friends know of a certain development.

They stood together, hands clasped, and all of a sudden, there was no doubt about their relationship to each other. It didn't need to be announced anymore. Of course, such a revelation caused mixed reactions, although mostly positive from the couple's parents, and slightly negative from the waterbender's brother. But all this was to be expected.

Toph had been the first to realize the relationship, because her keen senses had felt the beating of the two hearts long before either of the two had even stood beside each other. When she found out, she couldn't help but grin mischievously.

"This is going to be really interesting," she thought to herself, rubbing her hands together. And she was eager to see Sokka's reaction to this development.

The next to notice was Aang and when he saw the two together, he smiled and did not feel any pang of pain or jealousy as he anticipated. Instead, surprisingly, he felt very happy for them and glad that their being together was not going to cause him any distress at all. It was the first time he had seen either of them look truly and completely happy and so he knew he heartily approved.

Hakoda had been surprised at first and then, he simply smiled. Two years ago, he would have frowned upon such a union, between his beloved only daughter and the prince of the nation that had been terrorizing the world for a hundred years. But he knew quite well, that many things had changed in the course of two years and that in this world, nothing was ever as it seems.

It did seem difficult, however, to accept that his two children were finally growing up and leading lives he never would have imagined them leading, following greater paths and fulfilling greater destinies. This father had never been this proud of his children, and yet he was slightly saddened knowing that one day, they would completely make their own ways in the world.

But for now, his heart was filled because his family was complete, and he was even slightly thrilled that he would have additions to the family rather soon.

Sokka had just been stupefied. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped ("all the way to the Crystal Catacombs," Toph had commented wryly) and he said not a word for several minutes. His right eyebrow twitched and he started pointing at Zuko and Katara and babbling incoherent words. Toph slapped her forehead and laughed at him. Aang shook his head and Katara rolled her eyes. The Fire Nation citizens present all raised their eyebrows at this reaction and wondered if the Water Tribe Warrior was quite all right.

"Sokka," Hakoda told his son gently, laying a hand on the boy's shoulder, "what's wrong, son? Aren't you happy for your sister?"

Sokka merely looked wide-eyed at his father and then back at his sister and back at his father before simply fainting from the shock. Hakoda sighed and shook his head as the others tried to revive the stunned boy.

The necessary introductions were made and soon, a very strange exchange was happening between the former General of the Fire Nation, the banished Fire Lady and her sister, and the chief of the Southern Water Tribe. Despite their former status as enemies, Hakoda could not help but revere and respect Iroh (as well as be amused by his quips) as well as be charmed by the two sisters. Hakoda was not one to be prejudiced but having fought in the war for quite some time, he had acquired a slight bias against firebenders. But meeting some of them now quite changed his overall perception.

Later on, Melisande walked towards her two former protégés and gave them a warm embrace. Despite all her preparations for this eventual moment, the older firebender felt that she dreaded the parting all the same. Those two had become very dear to her and the closest to her own children that she would ever have.

"This has been a great journey," she told Zuko and Katara, "and I will be eternally grateful that I spent it with both of you."

The two benders returned the gesture warmly and expressed similar sentiments. They had been through a lot together, and that was an understatement.

"And now," Melisande said with a hint of sadness in her voice, "I fear I must leave you once again."

"What?" Zuko and Katara cried incredulously, Zuko finally feeling his previous suspicions coming to fruition. They both frowned at her but Melisande nodded sadly at them.

"I fear," Melisande replied, "that I still have some unfinished business that I have to attend to before I join in your campaign against the Fire Lord. There is one last test which I must pass, with the first Firebending Masters. I must prove my worth to them first before I will be able to rejoin your group. This is a path that even you, Zuko, and the Avatar will need to pursue. But all in good time. We will see each other again, I can promise you that."

Zuko and Katara were shocked but then they gave Melisande one last embrace, knowing that she would always keep her word. The bond the three had shared during their long sojourn in solitude had kept growing through every hardship they endured and they knew that it was something that none of them would ever forget. The three of them would cherish all those memories forever. Every trial they had overcome had only served to strengthen them and bring them closer together. And having shared the same roof for so long, it was particularly hard on them to part, even for a while. But they all knew that such separation was necessary and that at least, there was the prospect of another reunion to look forward to, whenever it will be.

They then exchanged bittersweet good-byes and Zuko and Katara turned to explain the circumstances to their friends and family who were sad to learn that after only a brief acquaintance, Melisande had to leave.

But when they turned to face Melisande again, she was gone.

-fin-

--

_The die is cast._

Thank you so much from the very core of my being to everyone who supported this story. It has been an honor to deliver this piece for your entertainment. I never expected the story to be this popular or successful among fan fiction readers and I am indeed flattered by all your generous and unyielding support and feedback.

This has been one heck of a journey for me and I thank you all for going on it with me. This marks the longest fan fiction story I've ever written and only the second Avatar multi-chapter story that I've ever completed. Thank you all for sticking it through with me.

Regarding a sequel, I do have some lingering ideas for an overall plot that would include some of the unresolved issues that were left at the end of the story but there are certain difficulties that I foresee. First of all, the story of the island is clearly concluded but as you may have read, they still have the campaign against the Fire Lord and his eventual downfall to worry about so those are probably some things to expect in the sequel. One problem is that I won't have enough time to finish the sequel before the actual Avatar Season Finale in July and I feel quite certain that whatever plot I come up with cannot match the canon version of the ending. And also, if the story doesn't finish before the finale, I don't know if any of you will still be interested in it, and I won't blame you. I don't know if I will still have the heart to write it once Avatar is over. But I simply cannot come up with a sequel really, really fast, fast enough to finish before the finale because school has started and I will have less time to write and also because one quickly-written will have a tendency to be mediocre or substandard and that would be an insult to all of you. I also promised to update some of my other stories (which I left on hiatus when I devoted my entire time to this one) and to write some one-shots whose ideas simply won't get out of my brain. So those are my misgivings about writing a sequel although I feel slightly inclined to do so.

Anyway, if you guys are really keen on having a sequel, despite the aforementioned circumstances, and are interested enough in waiting for a bit (not too long, I assure you), kindly let me know and I will surely oblige you. I will try not to make it a "Disney" scenario, as Pepipanda said, where the sequel does not match up to the original. Anyway, the sequel is bound to be just a continuation of events rather than a rehashed, corny, random plot like some sequels have turned out to be so I daresay it might still turn up rather well. But I'm rambling. Please just let me know if you're willing or interested to read a sequel and I will get right to work on it. And thank you very much in advance.

To the anonymous reviewer 0, please just know that I bear you no ill-will for your criticism, and in fact, I greatly welcomed it. I do admit that I got carried away with Melisande from time to time and that there are some things need to be improved. Although I do not agree with all of your points, I am not angry with you and would gladly discuss the matter with you in the proper venue should you choose it. Thank you for your feedback.

To Akriloth Warrior, Alaksandra, AlexMontgomery, Avatar2233, Fayari, Jimmy Bonez, JizoBosatsu01, Lady Padfoot21, LordRevanGrandMasteroftheJedi, Midnight Hikari, MilkMustache, Mr. Average, Rayshia, Requiem of Solance, Saucebender, UzumakiGurl455, ZutaraFan4, afina.kedavra, angstar54, asakage, babu'sbff, devil.sid, ju97ju97, lakesofcanada, musiclover9419, pfnelly, spinners0end, vast-cerulean : thanks for adding this story to your favorites. I hope that you didn't lose interest as the story progressed.

To Akriloth Warrior, Anzu Maki, Booklover16, Bound By Sound, CelestialWonder, E. Roses, EndlessBlack, Fayari, Guardian of Balance, Khajmer, Koori Youkai Hime, Lady Padfoot21, Logrus Mage, LordRevanGrandMasteroftheJedi, Luiz4200, LunaticCow, Marquise of Pembroke, Midnight Hikari, Mr. Average, MyUnchainedMelody, Neptune-Saturn, NorthernLights25, Phenominal22, Pouncing Padfoot 146, Requiem of Solance, Rinle, Saucebender, Storm Black, The Zutara Critic, Timeless Traveler, Vullinia, WickedAce, YourAngelStandingBy, ZutaraFan4, afina.kedavra, angstar54, babu'sbff, dark shadow clone, goaligirl12, hellbutterfly421, kayke, ktsvillefan, lizabeth87, musiclover9419, peanut26, pfnelly, pink princess 16, slayerstoryguy, sokkantylee, solarecilpse, spinners0end, superkawaiifoxy, triquetraperson, zflames4me : thank you so much for adding this to your alerts so far. You won't need to wait for an update any longer, at least.

To Mr. Average, Guardian of Balance, AvatarAiris, sokkantylee, sara, pink princess16, Akriloth Warrior, little blueness, Luiz4200, Avatar2233, peanut26, Kirai-Ninja, MilkMustache, superkawaiifoxy, AlinaAlone#1, babu'sbff, ju97ju97, princess25, spinners0end, NorthernLights25, pfnelly, Manola3, khajmer, Logrus Mage, Requiem of Solance, afina.kedavra, Koori Youkai Hime, ZutaraFan4, ktsvillefan, lw, EndlessBlack, LadyPadfoot21, musiclover9419, angstar54, Rayshia, solarecilpse, zflames4me, Bonnie, YourAngelStandingBy, alaksandra, saucebender, CelestialWonder, hellbutterfly421, Pepipanda, 0, ME, and the others who left anonymous reviews whom I cannot acknowledge properly, please know that I truly appreciated every single comment and criticism that you have given me. I am always grateful when people appreciate my work and more so when they alert me to faults that I may not have noticed. Thank you exceedingly for all your support.

I never expected to receive this many reviews for this story (I was only going for 100) but you guys totally exceeded my expectations and made me happier and more encouraged to write more fan fiction. I've never even received this many reviews for any of my other stories despite how long I've been writing and posting stuff here so your reactions are really such a great big reward and encouragement for me. Thank you over and over again.

I hope that you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it and I will forever remain in your debt for your constant support and encouragement.

To all those who will read this even after this chapter is posted, please do leave reviews. I will still greatly appreciate them. And thank you very much in advance.

This feels strangely like giving an Oscars acceptance speech, so sorry about the length. I think I hear the orchestra giving me the signal to stop now.

Thank you for everything! I love you all!


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